Shorthanded Seahawks fall to USM; face quick turnaround vs. Montana
UNCW couldn't dig out of a big hole Wednesday, have health questions Thursday
Given the quick turnaround, we’ll do things a little different for this edition of the Perch, with a quick recap on the Seahawks’ loss to Southern Miss on Wednesday night and how it relates to Thursday night’s matchup with Montana.
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Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanks for taking a few minutes out of your holiday to give this a read, and hopefully, it’ll be a nice break from your annoying cousins or get you settled in for that post-meal nap.
At the very least, it’s better than watching the Detroit Lions.
Let’s get to it.
Looking Back
Given we only had audio from Missoula, it’s tough to draw many conclusions without being able to watch the game.
With that being said, there are a few things to be taken from the stats and Mike Vaccaro’s radio call of Southern Miss’ 80-66 win over UNCW.
Jaylen Sims came off the bench to lead the Seahawks with 16 points and six rebounds, while Jamahri Harvey scored all 14 of his points in the second half to help give the Seahawks a chance, cutting the Eagles’ lead from 21 points all the way down to five.
Under the Weather
Since the Seahawks left Wilmington on Friday, some sort of illness (not COVID-19) has ripped through the team. Jamahri Harvey missed the game at Delaware State, while Alec Oglesby couldn’t play on Wednesday night and several other Seahawks weren’t themselves.
“It’s been a tough trip for us,” UNCW assistant coach Kurt Kansaskie said. “I’ve been doing this for a long time; I’ve never seen this many guys get sick so quickly and we just didn’t have any energy.”
Oglesby didn’t suit up, but even those who did and tried to play were clearly affected by whatever it is they’re battling.
Amari Kelly managed just three minutes, while James Baker Jr. played 17, meaning UNCW was without its normal big men for half the game.
Vacarro mentioned on the broadcast that Shykeim Phillips had started to come down with the illness today, and the point guard played 15 minutes.
Presumably, Jamarii Thomas wasn’t 100 percent, either, as the freshman managed to play just three minutes on a night the Seahawks needed all-hands on deck.
Energy, perhaps even more so than shooting, has been the deciding factor for the Seahawks this season. When they have it, they can overcome poor offensive play, force turnovers and generate big plays. Without energy, though, the Seahawks get stagnant, force bad shots and don’t defend well enough to win.
“We found out we can’t win without energy,” Kanaskie said. “That’s got to be our staple when we come out and play hard. … It was AO and there were about four other guys that tried and really couldn’t do it. That’s a shame, but we’ve got to figure out a way, because we have two more games on this trip.”
Indeed, it’ll only be 24 hours after the final buzzer that the Seahawks are back on the floor vs. Montana.
There’s no way to predict who will be ready to play tonight, and if they are able to play, how many minutes they’ll be able to go or how effective they’ll be.
Zoned Out
For the second straight game, UNCW ran into an opponent that played almost exclusively zone, and it seems likely the Seahawks will be seeing plenty of it until further notice.
Based on the description from Vaccaro, the Seahawks had a number of open shots and good looks against Southern Miss that just didn’t go in — which is exactly what happened against Delaware State.
Over those two games, UNCW had made 48 of 130 (36.9 percent) field goal attempts, including 21 of 76 (27.7 percent) from 3-point range.
With the caveat that Wednesday’s circumstances dictated the need to shoot 40 threes, the Seahawks still shot 36 with healthy big men on Saturday vs. Delaware State.
Making and taking plentiful threes will be a hallmark of successful Seahawk basketball in this system, but right now, putting up 38 a game is too much.
Putting up threes is fine, but UNCW needs to do it from an inside-out approach of hitting the high post and touching the lane before kicking to open shooters. Simply passing it around the perimeter and settling for a shot is playing directly into the hands of opponents.
Overall, the Seahawks have hit 50 of 173 (28.9 percent) 3-point attempts this season.
The Prototype
Long, interchangeable wings that can play any spot on the perimeter will soon be UNCW’s most plentiful resource as Coach Takayo Siddle continues building the roster.
Lately, two guys have embodied exactly what the Seahawks need out of that position in Harvey and Trazarien White.
Harvey showed glimpses of his potential as a freshman with three-double figuring scoring nights, finishing as a 36-percent 3-point shooter. This season, he’s rebounded from a slow start to play some of his best basketball as a Seahawk, putting up 21 points, four steals and three assists over the past two games.
We’ve talked about his defensive impact extensively, so add in some buckets, and Harvey is well on his way to becoming a major contributor.
White, who finished with 13 points and five rebounds vs. USM, has already established himself as one of UNCW’s most important players. Through six games, the freshman is averaging 9.2 points and five rebounds in 23.6 minutes.
Both have been effective because of energy, effort and defense — the basis for everything the Seahawks need to do to be successful in this system.
About the Grizzlies
Montana is a successful program with a tradition of winning, making five NCAA Tournament appearances since 2010. Coach Travis DeCuire is the latest in a line of excellent coaches to lead the program, with a career record of 145-86 at his alma mater.
When the Grizzlies have been at their best in recent seasons, they’ve hung their hat on a defense that forces turnovers, and for the past several years, focusing on keeping opponents away from the middle of the floor — a philosophy that helped Texas Tech and Loyola Chicago make Final Four appearances in recent years.
One area that the Grizzlies struggle, however, is guarding the 3-point line. After UC San Diego hit 6 of 14 attempts from beyond the arc last night, Montana ranks 357th of 358 teams nationally, allowing opponents to shoot 49.3 percent.
Box Score: Montana 71, UC San Diego 61
This season, 6-9, 220 pound center Josh Bannan (47.2 FG%) has been the focal point of the Montana offense thanks to his inside-out game, stepping out to hit 8 of 16 from 3-point range.
Point guard Brandon Whitney is an excellent defender who will also take his fair share of shot and look to initiate contact to get to the free throw line.
Per KenPom rankings, Montana will be the best team UNCW has faced to this point.
Key Players: C Josh Bannan (14 points, 9 rebounds), G Brandon Whitney (12.2 points), F Derrick Carter-Hollinger (9.4 points), G Robby Beasley (8 points), G Cameron Parker (5.4 points, 4.2 assists).
KenPom rankings for UNCW: No. 275 overall, No. 241 Offense, No. 301 Defense.
KenPom rankings for Montana: No. 165 overall, No. 155 Offense, No. 190 Defense.
KenPom forecast: Montana 72, UNCW 62 (20 percent chance of victory).