CHARLESTON, S.C. (Interstat) — In a pivotal Colonial Athletic Association clash, the UNC Wilmington Seahawks used a dominant first-half performance to establish a lead they would never relinquish, defeating the College of Charleston Cougars 76-64 in men’s college basketball Monday night at TD Arena.

The victory improved UNC Wilmington’s record to 20-4 overall and solidified its position atop the conference standings. Charleston fell to 16-9 with the loss in front of a crowd of 5,176.

The game’s decisive stretch came early, as the Seahawks raced out to a commanding double-digit lead in the opening minutes and stifled every Cougar attempt at a rally. UNC Wilmington’s offensive execution was sharp from the tip, and its defense forced Charleston into a series of costly turnovers that fueled the initial surge.

The Seahawks built a 42-32 halftime advantage, a margin that proved insurmountable for the Cougars. Charleston managed to match its first-half output with another 32 points after the break, but UNC Wilmington’s balanced scoring and steady play ensured the lead never dipped below 10 points in the second half.

The most critical sequence of the game occurred in the final minute of the first half, effectively snuffing out Charleston’s momentum. After the Cougars’ Jlynn Counter converted a layup to pull his team within seven points at 32-25 with just over a minute remaining, the Seahawks delivered a crushing response. Patrick Wessler found Greedy Williams for a 3-pointer with 37 seconds left. Following a defensive stop, Williams struck again, draining another 3-pointer at the buzzer to send UNC Wilmington into the locker room with a 42-32 lead. That six-point swing in the final minute transformed a manageable deficit into a demoralizing 10-point hole for the home team.

Williams, a guard from Montgomery, Alabama, led the Seahawks with 16 points, including those two critical first-half triples. He added three assists in 32 minutes. He was one of five UNC Wilmington players to score in double figures, highlighting the team’s distributed offensive attack. Center Patrick Wessler of Matthews, North Carolina, provided a strong interior presence with 15 points and four assists. Forward Nolan Hodge of Greensboro, North Carolina, contributed 12 points, while Christian May of Edinburg, Virginia, and Noah Ross of Apex, North Carolina, added 14 and 11 points, respectively.

For College of Charleston, the offense ran primarily through guard Jlynn Counter. The Oklahoma City native played 36 minutes and scored a game-high 20 points, though he was hampered by several turnovers. Seven-foot-one center Christian Reeves of Charlotte, North Carolina, provided a secondary option with 13 points. Reserve guard Chadlyn Traylor, also from Charlotte, provided a late spark with eight points, including a 3-pointer in the final seconds.

The Seahawks’ defense was a cornerstone of the victory, consistently disrupting Charleston’s rhythm. UNC Wilmington recorded seven steals and capitalized on 14 Cougar turnovers, converting them into transition opportunities that helped build the early lead. The Cougars, who entered the game with a 56.3% win probability according to Interstat’s ELO system, struggled to find consistent scoring outside of Counter and Reeves.

With the win, UNC Wilmington avenged a loss from earlier in the season and gained a crucial advantage in the conference race. The two teams are scheduled to meet again in Wilmington on Feb. 28, a rematch that could carry significant seeding implications for the CAA tournament.

UNC Wilmington will look to continue its successful season when it hosts Elon on Thursday. College of Charleston aims to rebound at home against Hofstra, also on Thursday.