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UNCW (9-2 SU, 4-4 ATS) travels to Fayetteville to take on Arkansas (8-4 SU, 3-9 ATS) on Saturday at 5pmET from Bud Walton Arena. This is a battle of CAA against the SEC and a red-hot Seahawks team taking on a disappointing Razorbacks squad.
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UNCW finished at 24-10 and 12-6 in the CAA last season, but they were in a league with Charleston (31 wins), who just rolled through everyone. They wound up losing in the finals to the Cougars, but they've come back stronger this season. The Seahawks have won four straight games and that includes a shocking road win over Kentucky (80-73) as an 18.5-point favorite on Dec. 2. In their last game on Dec. 21, they beat Marshall on the road 78-69 as a 1.5-point dog. Trazerian White led all scorers with 27 points, while guard Shykeim Phillips added 16 points. UNCW committed just six turnovers, had 45 points off their bench and never trailed against the Thundering Herd.
What's impressive about Takyo Siddle's team is that they are not reliant on transfers. Yes, 6-1 guard K.J. Jenkins (10ppg, 40% 3pt) is a grad transfer from New Mexico, but plays just 20 minutes per game. White might be the best p layer in the CAA right now at 6-6, 200. He's averaging 19.3 points on 57% shooting (45% 3pt) with 5.6 rebounds per game. Phillips is one of the top point guards in the league with 14.2 points and 3.3 assists on 53.8% shooting from the field and 82.9% from the line.
Overall, KenPom has UNCW at 114th, 94th in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency, 155th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency and 89th in strength of schedule. The Seahawks are putting up 85.4 points per game on 48% shooting (38.7% 3pt). They allow 70.6 points per game on 44.4% shooting (33.3% 3pt).