2023-24 North Carolina Sports Network
North Carolina Basketball Spotlight:
UNC Wilmington

By Ben McCormick
North Carolina Sports Network

School: UNC Wilmington

Location: Wilmington, N.C.

NCAA DI Member Since: 1976-77

Conference: Coastal Athletic Association (CAA)

CAA Member Since: 1984-85

CAA Ranking Among 32 Leagues (KenPom): 26th (2023), 14th (2022), 19th (2021), 18th (2020)

NCAA Tournament Bids: 6 (2000, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2016, 2017)

Conference Titles: 6 (2000, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2016, 2017)

Conference 1st-Place Finishes: 9 (1997, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2022)

Head Coach: Takayo Siddle (37 years old, fourth season)

As A Player: Gardner-Webb (2005-09)

Record As Head Coach (Through Dec. 1): 63-31  in 3+ seasons

Previous Head Coaching Experience: none

College AC Experience: Gardner-Webb (2010-14); UNCW (2014-17); NC State (2017-20)

Assistant Under: Kevin Keatts, Chris Holtmann, Tim Craft

2022-23 Record: 24-10, 12-6 (3rd in 13-team CAA)

2023-24 Preseason Prediction (Coaches): 2nd in 14-team CAA

2023-24 Record (Through Dec. 1): 5-2, 0-0 CAA

2023-24 Midseason Ranking (KenPom): #145 nationally (4th in CAA)

Upcoming Schedule Highlights: at Kentucky (12/2), at Arkansas (12/30)

CAA Opener: at Drexel (1/4)

The Seahawks have fallen in the CAA Tournament championship game two years in a row. In this season’s preseason poll, UNCW was pegged for second place. Last year’s conference champion, Charleston, is favored to repeat, but coach Takayo Siddle’s team won’t let last year’s finale shake its resolve.

“Shortly after the (championship) game, you kind of have to remove yourself from it and start thinking about how you can get better, so it doesn’t happen again if you’re fortunate enough to get back in that position,” Siddle said. “We’re excited about the returners first and foremost. They’re going to be a huge part of the reason why we win.”

Among those returners are UNCW’s top four scorers from last season: forward Trazarien White and guards Maleeck Harden-Hayes, Shykeim Phillips and Donovan Newby.

To begin the season, White, a preseason first-team All-CAA pick, has established himself as the leader for the Seahawks, averaging a team-best 18 points per game. Veterans Harden-Hayes and Phillips have seen jumps in production during the early season, as well.

While the returners are paramount to UNCW’s success, there are some new faces who are having immediate impacts in Wilmington. New Mexico transfer KJ Jenkins might be the biggest name amongst the newcomers. The 6-foot-2 guard notched almost 10 points per game through the Seahawks’ first seven contests.

UNCW lacks size. The Seahawks’ tallest player is 6-foot-9 redshirt sophomore Khamari McGriff, who averages just two points and two rebounds per game. They may struggle against teams with talented bigs this season. What the Seahawks lack in the interior, though, they often make up for with depth; Siddle plays 10 players 10-plus minutes per game.

To start the 2023-24 season, the 5-2 Seahawks have had some success, but they’ve already lost to intrastate foes Appalachian State and East Carolina. Their squad will seriously be put to the test on Saturday as they travel to No. 12 Kentucky.

2023-24 UNC Wilmington Seahawks
(5-2, 0-0 CAA; through Dec. 1)

Starters

G Shykeim Phillips*, Gr. — 25 mpg, 14 ppg, 2 rpg, 50% FG, 81% FT, 17% threes, 18/7 ATO, 1 block, 14 steals
(6-2/190); Winterville, N.C.; 2020 CAA All-Rookie; South Central HS

G KJ Jenkins, Gr. — 21 mpg, 10 ppg, 2 rpg, 40% FG, 57% FT (few), 44% threes, 5/4 ATO, 0 blocks, 1 steal
(6-2/180); transfer from New Mexico; Atlanta, Ga.; Creekview HS

G Maleeck Harden-Hayes*, Gr. — 28 mpg, 13 ppg, 5 rpg, 49% FG, 81% FT, 41% threes, 5/9 ATO, 4 blocks, 2 steals
(6-7/200); transfer from North Dakota State; Moorhead, Minn.; Moorhead HS

F Trazarien White*, Jr. — 27 mpg, 18 ppg, 6 rpg, 59% FG, 74% FT, 29% threes, 11/13 ATO, 3 blocks, 9 steals
(6-7/190); Mansfield, Texas; 2023 second-team All-CAA; Collin CC

F Khamari McGriff, R So. — 13 mpg, 2 ppg, 2 rpg, 67% FG, 50% FT (few), 4/5 ATO, 6 blocks, 3 steals
(6-9/260); Tallahassee, Fla..; James S. Rickards HS

*—returning starter (started at least 50% of current team’s games last season)

Key Reserves

F Nick Farrar, Sr. — 19 mpg, 8 ppg, 4 rpg, 46% FG, 64% FT, 44% threes, 12/5 ATO, 1 block, 1 steal
(6-10/225); transfer from Charleston; Apex, N.C.; Apex Friendship HS

G Donovan Newby, Sr. — 25 mpg, 8 ppg, 2 rpg, 50% FG, 81% FT, 42% threes, 13/4 ATO, 0 blocks, 3 steals
(6-4/200); transfer from UW-Milwaukee; Chicago Heights, Ill.; Bloom HS

G Nolan Hodge, So. — 17 mpg, 5 ppg, 2 rpg, 39% FG, 50% FT (few), 33% threes, 5/5 ATO, 1 block, 4 steals
(6-4/175); Greensboro, N.C.; Northern Guilford HS

G Noah Ross, So. — 15 mpg, 2 ppg, 3 rpg, 20% FG, 100% FT (few), 25% threes, 5/6 ATO, 1 block, 4 steals
(6-4/175); Apex, N.C.; Trinity Academy

G Shemar Rathan-Mayes, Sr. — 11 mpg, 3 ppg, 1 rpg, 47% FG, 67% FT (few), 60% threes (few), 4/5 ATO, 0 blocks, 0 steals
(6-4/175); transfer from Youngstown State; Scarborough, Ontario; Orangeville Prep

UNCW 10-Year Snapshot

2022-23 — 24-10, 12-6 CAA (3rd), no postseason (Takayo Siddle)
2021-22 — 27-9, 15-3 CAA (t-1st), CBI champion (Takayo Siddle)
2020-21 — 7-10, 1-6 CAA (10th), no postseason (Takayo Siddle)
2019-20 — 10-22, 5-13 CAA (9th), no postseason (C.B. McGrath)
2018-19 — 10-23, 5-13 CAA (10th), no postseason (C.B. McGrath)
2017-18 — 11-21, 7-11 CAA (6th), no postseason (C.B. McGrath)
2016-17 — 29-6, 15-3* CAA (1st), NCAA 1st round (Kevin Keatts)
2015-16 — 25-8, 14-4* CAA (t-1st), NCAA 1st round (Kevin Keatts)
2014-15 — 18-14, 12-6 CAA (t-1st), CIT 1st round (Kevin Keatts)
2013-14 — 9-23, 3-13 CAA (9th), no postseason (Buzz Peterson)

*—conference champion