Most things in life don’t live up to their billing. We like to build things up to grandiose standards, ones that are often tough to attain. Not many people actually get the Ferrari for Christmas. First dates usually wind up being awkward. And the opening game that you’ve been waiting for usually isn’t that exciting.    Check that.

  In a barn burner, at a rocking Trask Coliseum, the UNCW Seahawks edged the College of Charleston 98-91 in a game that saw 10 ties and 12 lead changes, many of which occurred during the latter stages of the game. Tied at 83 after regulation, the Seahawks outscored the Cougars, 15-8, in overtime to nail down their second straight season-opening victory for Coach Benny Moss.
The hometown Seahawks came out with a frenzied teal student body behind them and played inspired ball from the opening tip. But all of that changed when TJ Carter picked up his second foul, and sat for the remainder of the half. Once up 17-10, UNCW found themselves on the short end of a 21-17 score after a 11-0 Charleston run.
It felt like the time that a team should get the ball to their senior scorer to break the run, which is Carter’s role. As he sat in foul trouble, it was up to the rest of the team to step it up. It may have been a blessing in disguise, because it immediately challenged the other seniors and young role players in game one of the season.
UNCW was able to weather the storm, and battled back to tie the score at 36 as the teams went to the locker room for half time.
But on this night, Carter would struggle to find his stroke (0-7 from three). However many of his nine assists set up fellow seniors Todd Hendly (15 points), Vladimir Kuljanin (25), and Daniel Fountain (27). Add in Carter’s 14 points and the four combined to score 71 of the 98 Seahawks’ points.
UNCW was able to nudge out to small leads throughout the second half, but it seemed every time they went up four points, the Cougars were able to respond with a timely three pointer. Charleston freshman Andrew Gouldelock was the culprit on many occasions. He finished the night with 27 points, scoring the most points by a Cougar freshman since Rodney Conner’s 29-point barrage in a 70-57 victory over South Carolina State on Nov. 29, 1993 and getting a lot of praise from his head coach Bobby Cremins, who has seen his share of talented guards.
The tension built throughout the second half, and with three minutes to play, the Seahawks turned the ball over, and the Cougars got a dunk down at the other end to take a 79-78 lead. But it would be their last lead of the night.
Daniel Fountain hit a big three off an inbounds play (6-9 for the game 3 pt.) and gave UNCW a 81-79 lead. After Charleston tied the score at 81, TJ Carter, not feeling his outside jumper, took the ball strong to the hole and was undercut as he went in for the lay-up. He made both free throws and gave the Hawks a two point lead. It seemed that UNCW had the stop they needed after a big block by Todd Hendley, but Charleston was able to grab the rebound and score, tying the game at 83 with just over ten seconds to play.
UNCW inbounded the ball and declined to call time out, and pushed the ball up the court. According to Head Coach Benny Moss they were trying to capitalize on their senior experience while preventing the Cougars from being able to set up their defense.
Carter worked his way down court and was forced to throw up an off balance shot that fell way short, but was almost put in by Dominique Lacy at the buzzer.
In overtime, it was all UNCW. A Gouldlock three cut the lead Seahawk lead to 93-89 with 1:02 left, but the Seahawks were able to ice the game down the stretch with some Daniel Fountain free throws and a hammer time delight dunk by Kuljanin.
Everything about the game lived up to expectations. Two freshmen, Dominique Lacy and Rob Sikes each caught big dunks within seconds of entering the game. It was an exciting game and a Seahawk win. After a disappointing season last year, the ‘07-’08 team treated the Teal faithful to a perfect evening. A fast-paced overtime victory. What a way to start the year.

Official Basketball Box Score
Coll. of Charleston vs UNC Wilmington
11/10/07 7 p.m. at Wilmington, N.C (Trask Coliseum)

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VISITORS: Coll. of Charleston 0-1
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
11 Dustin Scott…….. f 5-10 1-4 1-3 3 3 6 5 12 1 1 1 3 24
44 Antwaine Wiggins…. f 2-7 0-3 2-4 3 5 8 3 6 1 0 2 0 33
05 Jermaine Johnson…. c 9-18 1-3 0-0 3 6 9 2 19 3 3 0 3 38
31 Marcus Hammond…… g 1-6 0-2 0-0 2 4 6 2 2 2 1 0 2 19
32 Tony White, Jr…… g 6-13 3-9 0-0 0 1 1 3 15 5 4 0 0 37
01 Donavan Monroe…… 3-6 1-2 0-0 1 4 5 0 7 2 0 0 0 13
03 Andrew Goudelock…. 11-21 5-11 0-0 2 0 2 2 27 3 1 0 2 34
21 Jeremy Simmons…… 1-6 1-1 0-0 2 1 3 1 3 2 2 1 1 27
TEAM……………. 3 3
Totals………….. 38-87 12-35 3-7 19 24 43 18 91 19 12 4 11 225

TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 16-37 43.2% 2nd Half: 19-40 47.5% OT: 3-10 30.0% Game: 43.7%
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 3-15 20.0% 2nd Half: 7-14 50.0% OT: 2-6 33.3% Game: 34.3%
F Throw % 1st Half: 1-3 33.3% 2nd Half: 2-4 50.0% OT: 0-0 0.0% Game: 42.9%

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HOME TEAM: UNC Wilmington 1-0
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
41 Hendley, Todd……. f 7-14 0-1 1-4 6 6 12 1 15 6 5 1 0 38
32 Kuljanin, Vladimir.. c 11-14 0-0 3-5 6 12 18 1 25 4 3 2 0 36
02 Carter, T.J……… g 4-11 0-7 6-10 2 3 5 3 14 9 5 0 1 31
04 Fountain, Daniel…. g 9-17 6-9 3-3 2 4 6 1 27 1 1 2 3 37
05 Tomko, Chad……… g 1-5 1-4 0-0 0 2 2 2 3 1 0 0 0 30
00 Davis, Marlo…….. 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 2 0 3 0 1 2 11
01 Downey, Montez…… 0-3 0-2 0-0 1 0 1 2 0 1 1 0 0 10
03 Jeralds, Darion….. 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4
12 Sheets, Josh…….. 1-2 1-2 0-0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 11
21 Lacy, Dominique….. 4-7 0-0 1-2 2 3 5 3 9 0 2 1 1 15
34 Sikes, Rob………. 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 2
TEAM……………. 2 2
Totals………….. 38-74 8-25 14-24 19 34 53 15 98 25 17 7 7 225

TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 15-30 50.0% 2nd Half: 17-37 45.9% OT: 6-7 85.7% Game: 51.4%
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 4-13 30.8% 2nd Half: 4-11 36.4% OT: 0-1 0.0% Game: 32.0%
F Throw % 1st Half: 2-3 66.7% 2nd Half: 9-15 60.0% OT: 3-6 50.0% Game: 58.3%

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Officials: Karl Hess (R), Tim Clougherty, Les Jones
Technical fouls: Coll. of Charleston-None. UNC Wilmington-None.
Attendance: 5402
Score by Periods 1st 2nd OT Total
Coll. of Charleston……….. 36 47 8 - 91
UNC Wilmington……………. 36 47 15 - 98