Uncw Basketball Opens CAA Tournament Run Against No. 9 Campbell
UNCW begins its pursuit of a second straight Coastal Athletic Association tournament championship on Sunday, opening as the top seed against No. 9 seed Campbell in Washington, D. C. As of Sunday at 9: 20 a. m. ET, the quarterfinal matchup is set for a noon tip at CareFirst Arena, with three wins in three days required to secure the league’s automatic NCAA Tournament bid.
UNCW men’s basketball faces Campbell at CareFirst Arena in Washington, D. C.
The Seahawks and Fighting Camels meet in a quarterfinal game scheduled to start at 12 p. m. ET Sunday at CareFirst Arena. UNCW enters the game as the tournament’s top seed, while Campbell is the No. 9 seed. The contest is the first of four games scheduled Sunday at the arena.
Campbell reached the quarterfinals by beating Stony Brook 96-89. UNCW, meanwhile, opens its CAA Tournament slate on Sunday after securing the top seed with a regular season that included a 26-5 overall record and a 15-3 mark in conference play.
UNCW has already played Campbell twice this season and won both meetings, with each victory decided by five points or less. For this weekend’s format, UNCW needs three wins in three days to claim the tournament championship and earn the conference’s NCAA Tournament berth.
Uncw Basketball enters as top seed after 26-5 season and regular-season title
UNCW earned the No. 1 seed after what was described as an impressive regular season, finishing 26-5 overall and 15-3 in conference play. The Seahawks’ performance also delivered their first regular-season CAA championship in four years.
In the closing stretch of the regular season, UNCW defeated Elon to secure the program’s first outright regular-season conference title since 2017. The top seed sets the Seahawks up to begin postseason play in the quarterfinals, with the route to another championship starting immediately against Campbell on Sunday.
Two teams beat UNCW in conference play this season: William & Mary and Charleston. Both are positioned on the opposite side of the tournament bracket, meaning UNCW would not face either unless it reaches the championship game.
Takayo Siddle, Madison Durr, Patrick Wessler and Nolan Hodge draw CAA honors
UNCW’s regular-season results were followed by multiple league awards and honors. Head coach Takayo Siddle was named conference coach of the year on Friday. In voting by the league’s head coaches, UNCW senior guard Madison Durr was selected as Sixth Man of the Year.
On the postseason teams, redshirt junior Patrick Wessler earned a spot on the All-CAA First Team, and senior guard Nolan Hodge was named to the All-CAA Second Team. The honors arrive as UNCW tries to extend its season with a second straight tournament run, beginning with Sunday’s quarterfinal against Campbell.
UNCW is also defending last March’s CAA Tournament championship, when the Seahawks beat Hampton, Charleston and Delaware to win the 2025 CAA Tournament. The semifinal and championship wins were both decided by four points or less. In the title game, UNCW carried an eight-point lead into halftime before Delaware rallied; the Seahawks held on with late free throws. Donovan Newby was named tournament MVP after averaging more than 16 points per game.
The next confirmed event is the quarterfinal tip between UNCW and Campbell at 12 p. m. ET Sunday at CareFirst Arena in Washington, D. C.
