WASHINGTON, D.C. (WECT) – Up 66-64 with 10 seconds left, UNCW huddled up after a Charleston timeout. The Cougars had the ball, with a chance to tie or win the game, and the Seahawks needed a defensive stop. In the most pivotal timeout of the season, head coach Takayo Siddle said he didn’t have to say a word to his team.

“I didn’t say anything,” Siddle said. “They were player-led.”

Seconds later, Nolan Hodge got his hands on the ball, putting the Seahawks at the free throw line, where they’d seal a 68-67 win that sent them to the Coastal Athletic Association Tournament championship game against Delaware.

A win Tuesday night will secure UNCW’s first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 2017.

“We were really resilient down the stretch and we made big plays when we needed to,” Siddle said postgame. “I’m so proud of these guys for how resilient they were.”

The win is the ‘Hawks third this year over Charleston. They initially broke away from the Cougars in the first half, going on a 20-8 run to close the half.

Charleston, though, rallied after halftime as UNCW’s offense sputtered, eventually taking a 64-61 lead with just over two minutes to go. A minute later, graduate student Donovan Newby knocked down a 3-pointer from the right wing, putting the Seahawks up 66-64.

The Cougars’ CJ Fulton had a chance to tie the game, but missed two free throws with 11 seconds left. Lazar Djokovic secured the offensive rebound on the second miss, though, setting up UNCW’s final defensive stand.

Hodge’s steal, and two ensuing free throws from Bo Montgomery, advanced the ‘Hawks to the title game.

“Nolan made a big play,” Newby, who led all scorers with 24 points, said. “A big play – that’s all I’m gonna say is that was a big play.”

Tuesday night will mark UNCW’s first championship game appearance in two years, when they lost to Charleston by five.

As the Seahawks left the floor, players held up just one finger – for the one win they really wanted this week, and the one needed to get them back to the Big Dance.

“We came for one more,” center Harlan Obioha said. “We came for one more.”

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