Know Your Opponent: UNCW

By Bobby Hundley

UNCW (UNCWSports.com)
Location: Wilmington, N.C.
Rankings: No. 266 KenPom, NR AP
Record: 1-0
Carolina Series History (Last Meeting): Carolina leads 4-0 (Carolina 97, UNCW 69, Dec. 5, 2018, Chapel Hill)

Carolina makes its first visit to Wilmington's Trask Coliseum Friday night when the Tar Heels take on C.B. McGrath's UNCW Seahawks. It will be a big occasion for the third-year head coach's program - a ranked team hasn't visited the on-campus facility in 27 years.

McGrath is working with a largely new lineup in his third season at the helm. Eight newcomers dot the roster, including Washington State graduate transfer Carter Skaggs. Skaggs, who had 11 points and made three 3s in UNCW's opener against Johnson & Wales, is joined by two other D-I transfers in former Valparaiso forward Marten Linssen and former Florida guard and Raleigh product Mike Okauru. Both Linssen and Okauru started in Tuesday's 103-83 victory.

Notably absent is star big man Devontae Cacok, who wrapped up his stellar Seahawk career in March and is now a member of the Lakers' G League team after playing with Los Angeles in the NBA Summer League. Cacok led the nation in field goal percentage as a sophomore and was college basketball's best defensive rebounder over the last two seasons, so his presence will be tough to replace. Starting forward Jeantal Cylla is also gone after transferring to Arkansas in the offseason.

Three starters do return in 2019-20, though only two will be available Friday night. Sophomore point guard Kai Toews was an immediate impact player in his first season of college ball, shattering the UNCW record for assists and finishing behind only No. 2 pick Ja Morant nationally in assist rate after helping on better than 45 percent of his teammates' baskets. Jay Estimé is also back after starting 25 games as a sophomore, but McGrath's club will be without its best outside threat. Ty Gadsden made almost 46 percent of his 3-point attempts last season but is out with an injury.

UNCW was picked to finish ninth in the 10-team CAA in the league's preseason poll, so external expectations are low for these Seahawks. Making strides on the defensive end will go a long way toward exceeding those expectations - UNCW has ranked outside the top 300 nationally in KenPom's adjusted defensive efficiency ratings in each of the last two seasons.

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University of North Carolina Athletics

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