Hot-Shooting UNC Wilmington Stops Campbell 75-52

WILMINGTON, N.C. -- UNC Wilmington's starting guard tandem of Ed Spencer and John Goldsberry combined for 32 points and the Seahawks shot a season-high 53.3 percent from the field, including 55.6 percent from behind the 3-point line, to cruise past Campbell, 75-52, in men's college basketball Tuesday night at Trask Coliseum.

UNCW, which connected on 10-of-18 3-pointers, won its second straight over an instate opponent to improve to 3-1 on the season. CU dipped to 1-3 after falling for the second time in five days to a North Carolina foe.

Spencer, a senior from Kansas City, Mo., connected on 6-of-8 field goals for 15 points in the first period en route to a game-high 18 points. Goldsberry, a junior from Vandalia, Ohio, added 14 points, junior forward Mitch Laue contributed 12.and senior center Aaron Coombs had 10.

Freshman guard Ruell Pringle paced the Camels with a season-high 15 points on 5-of-6 three-pointers and sophomore guard Anthony Atkinson chipped in 11, plus five assists.

After building a 40-27 lead at halftime, the Seahawks watched as the Camels whittled the margin to 11 points, 45-34, behind Atkinson. Comerlee Poole's free throw cut the deficit to 45-34 with 14:35 left to play.

Goldsberry drained a 3-point bucket on the left wing, however, to push the margin to 48-35 at 13:26 and keyed a decisive 20-4 run that resulted in a 60-36 cushion with 6:38 showing. Goldsberry had two trifectas in the rally and Spencer's three-ball at 4:54 gave the Seahawks their largest lead at 65-38.

In a game featuring two of the state's oldest rivals, the Seahawks jumped out early on the Camels by making 10 of their first 13 shots and building a 19-point bulge. Coombs completed a 16-2 run that gave the Seahawks a 32-13 advantage with 7:01 remaining.

The Camels responded with three consecutive 3-pointers and Pringle's trey along the right wing drew CU to within 10 points, 32-22, with 3:59 remaining in the half. But UNCW scored six of the final eight points of the period, capped by a free throw by Spencer with less than a second remaining for a 40-27 lead at the break.

After an 11-day break for final exams, Campbell travels to North Carolina A&T for a 4:00 p.m. start on Sat., Dec. 11.

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