UNCW looking to find success away from Trask Coliseum after winless start on the road
When the UNCW men?s basketball team returns to campus Wednesday night, it will mark a whirlwind five-day road stretch.
The Seahawks were supposed to fly to Baton Rouge for Sunday?s game with LSU, but weather in Louisiana forced the team to take alternate routes ? both in the air and on the ground. That included four hours of driving from Shreveport.
From there, the team went straight to Greensboro for Wednesday?s meeting with UNC Greensboro. Along the way, they?ve managed to squeeze practice time in between plane flights. Coach C.B. McGrath knows his team is a little weary.
?Once the lights come on, it shouldn?t matter how tired you are. If we practiced for three hours two hours before the game, when the lights come on, you?ve got to be ready to play,? McGrath said. ?I don?t use it as an excuse. I?m not going to let them use it as an excuse, but tomorrow we have to be ready to play.?
The current road trek is just the latest journey for the Seahawks. Of UNCW?s 12 nonconference games, only four are scheduled for home. When the team returns to Trask Coliseum for Sunday?s game with Furman, it will be 29 days between home games. So far, the team is 0-5 away from home.
McGrath knows the road can be challenging and hopes that in the future UNCW will get a few more nonconference home games. Still, he?s been encouraged by how his team has handled the added traveling.
After getting to Greensboro on Monday, the Seahawks held what McGrath called ?probably our best practice of the year,? focusing solely on defense. Being away from home with no classes or exams has given the team a chance to focus solely on basketball.
That extra study is something McGrath hopes will be useful as the Seahawks look to get on track defensively. UNCW is allowing 92 points per game, 349th out of 351 NCAA Division I teams.
?To a man, we?re more athletic than we?re showing. We can defend better than we?re showing,? McGrath said. ?It?s just trying to get them to adjust their mentality that we?re not going to outscore everybody. Offensively, we?re doing a good job. But it comes down to getting stops.?
Key matchup: Scoring battle
Where UNCW?s defense has struggled, UNCG?s defense has been strong. The Spartans are 69th nationally, allowing opponents to shoot 40.4 percent. UNCG is coming off a strong outing against Elon, holding the Phoenix to 34.7 percent from the field and 14.3 from long range in a 75-44 win. UNCW?s offense is 33rd nationally, scoring 84.9 points per game. The Seahawks will need to shoot well against the Spartans, something that is easier said than done.
