WASHINGTON (Interstat) — In a Colonial Athletic Association tournament opener defined more by grit than grace, the UNC Wilmington women’s basketball team eked out a 51-50 victory over Northeastern on Wednesday at CareFirst Arena, advancing despite a game that saw both teams struggle profoundly on offense.

The contest, witnessed by 1,100 fans, was a defensive slugfest from the opening tip. Both teams combined to shoot just 30.3% from the field and 20% from three-point range. The game’s defining characteristic was its lack of offensive flow, with the teams committing 21 turnovers and managing only 13 combined assists.

UNC Wilmington, the visiting team, improved to 8-23 overall. Northeastern, the home team, ended its season at 7-22.

The most critical sequence of the game unfolded in the final minute. With the score tied at 50 and under 30 seconds remaining, Northeastern’s Justice Tramble committed a turnover, her fifth of the game, on an offensive foul. UNC Wilmington’s Angelina Pelayo seized the opportunity, drawing a foul on Nariyah Simmons with just two seconds left on the clock. The 6-foot-3 sophomore from Louisville, Kentucky, calmly sank both free throws to put the Seahawks ahead 51-50.

Northeastern had one final chance. After a timeout, Yirsy Quéliz’s driving layup attempt at the buzzer missed, securing the narrow victory for UNC Wilmington.

The Seahawks were led by a standout performance from Kylah Silver. The 5-foot-10 guard from Greenville, North Carolina, played 40 minutes and recorded a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, adding five assists and two steals. Her all-around effort was pivotal in a game where every possession carried immense weight.

Northeastern was paced by Morgan Matthews, who scored a game-high 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Nariyah Simmons added 11 points and eight rebounds for the Huskies.

The game’s tempo was set early. Northeastern raced to a 19-13 lead after the first quarter, but its offense stalled dramatically thereafter. The Huskies managed just 10 points in each of the second and third quarters as UNC Wilmington methodically clawed back. The Seahawks took their first lead since the opening minutes late in the third quarter and entered the final period with a 39-39 tie.

The fourth quarter was a tense, back-and-forth affair featuring five lead changes. Northeastern appeared to seize momentum when Matthews hit a three-pointer with 4:26 remaining to give the Huskies a 44-41 advantage. UNC Wilmington responded with a 6-0 run, capped by free throws from Torin Rogers, to go ahead 47-44 with 5:16 left.

Northeastern answered with six straight points of its own, including a layup by Tramble with 1:56 remaining that gave the Huskies a 50-47 lead. UNC Wilmington’s defense then forced consecutive turnovers, setting the stage for Pelayo’s game-winning free throws.

Statistical inefficiency marked the night. UNC Wilmington scored 51 points on 66 possessions for an offensive rating of 77.1, while Northeastern was even less efficient, posting a rating of 71.7 with 50 points on 70 trips. Both teams were anemic from beyond the arc, with UNC Wilmington making 4 of 19 attempts and Northeastern connecting on just 3 of 18. The difference came at the free-throw line, where the Seahawks converted 13 of 15 attempts compared to the Huskies’ 5-of-12 performance.

With the win, UNC Wilmington advances in the CAA tournament and will face Monmouth on Thursday, also at CareFirst Arena. The Seahawks snapped a three-game losing streak and avenged a regular-season loss to Northeastern from Jan. 2, which they had won 69-67.