UNCW Completes 11th Double-Digit Comeback of Season to Advance to CAA Semifinals
Rob Washburn
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WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 6, 2022) – Second-seeded UNCW stormed back from an early 14-point deficit and topped #7 Elon, 75-58, in the quarterfinals of the 2022 CAA Men’s Basketball Championship presented by Jersey Mike’s on Sunday night at the Entertainment & Sports Arena.
UNCW (22-8) moves on to the semifinals of the CAA Tournament for the first time since 2018, where it will meet either Hofstra or Charleston on Monday night at 8:30 p.m. Elon concluded its season with a 10-22 mark.
All-CAA guard Jaylen Sims led a balanced scoring effort for the Seahawks with 16 points while adding six rebounds and four assists. Trazarien White posted his third double-double of the season with 15 points and a team-best 11 boards, while Mike Okauru and Shykeim Phillips tallied 12 points apiece.
Junior all-conference guard Hunter McIntosh paced Elon with 15 points, 13 of which came in the first half. Chuck Hannah and Michael Graham each chipped in nine points.
Elon got off to a sizzling start, using a 16-1 run to take an 18-4 lead in the opening eight minutes of the game. The Phoenix hit 4-of-7 from 3-point range during that stretch, including a pair from McIntosh. UNCW battled back to within 27-24 on a Jamahri Harvey three with 3:17 to go in the half, but Hannah scored five points in the final two minutes to give Elon a 36-31 edge at the break.
UNCW started the second half fast as Phillips tallied six points during a 10-0 run that put the Seahawks in front, 41-36, with 16:24 remaining. The Seahawks’ advantage was six midway through the period before they went on a 9-1 surge capped by an Okauru three that made it 58-44 with 7:51 to go. Elon, which went nearly eight minutes without a field goal, didn’t get closer than nine the rest of the way.
The Seahawks shot 48.3% from the floor, including 59.3% in the second half. UNCW was 8-of-18 (44.4%) from three and only committed five turnovers. Elon hit 39.2% of its field goals, but only 26.1% in the second half.
It was the 11
th time this season that UNCW has overcome a double-digit deficit to win this season, a number that leads all Division I programs.
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