# UNC Wilmington Seahawks men's basketball

The UNC Wilmington Seahawks men's basketball team represents the University of North Carolina Wilmington. The team plays in the Coastal Athletic Association. The Seahawks are currently coached by Takayo Siddle. UNC Wilmington has appeared seven times in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, most recently in 2025. At the 2002 NCAA tournament, the Seahawks won their first-ever NCAA tournament game, upsetting 4-seed USC 93-89 in overtime.

## History
### Conference memberships

* 1976–1984: Independent
* 1984–present: Coastal Athletic Association

## Season-by-season results

Statistics overview :
| Season | Coach | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason |
| Mel Gibson (Independent) (1976–1986) ||||||
| 1976–77 | Mel Gibson | 16–10 | – | – | – |
| 1977–78 | Mel Gibson | 19–7 | – | – | – |
| 1978–79 | Mel Gibson | 19–8 | – | – | – |
| 1979–80 | Mel Gibson | 19–10 | – | – | – |
| 1980–81 | Mel Gibson | 13–13 | – | – | – |
| 1981–82 | Mel Gibson | 13–14 | – | – | – |
| 1982–83 | Mel Gibson | 11–16 | – | – | – |
| 1983–84 | Mel Gibson | 11–17 | – | – | – |
| Mel Gibson (Colonial Athletic Association) (1984–1986) ||||||
| 1984–85 | Mel Gibson | 12–16 | 4–11 | 6th | – |
| 1985–86 | Mel Gibson | 16–13 | 7–9 | 4th | – |
| Mel Gibson: | Mel Gibson: | 149–124 | 11–20 | | |
| Robert McPherson (Colonial Athletic Association) (1986–1990) ||||||
| 1986–87 | Robert McPherson | 18–12 | 11–6 | 2nd | – |
| 1987–88 | Robert McPherson | 15–14 | 9–7 | 4th | – |
| 1988–89 | Robert McPherson | 16–14 | 9–5 | 3rd | – |
| 1989–90 | Robert McPherson | 8–20 | 3–11 | 7th | – |
| Robert McPherson: | Robert McPherson: | 57–60 | 34–31 | | |
| Kevin Eastman (Colonial Athletic Association) (1990–1994) ||||||
| 1990–91 | Kevin Eastman | 11–17 | 6–8 | 5th | – |
| 1991–92 | Kevin Eastman | 13–15 | 6–8 | 5th | – |
| 1992–93 | Kevin Eastman | 17–11 | 6–8 | 4th | – |
| 1993–94 | Kevin Eastman | 18–10 | 9–5 | 3rd | – |
| Kevin Eastman: | Kevin Eastman: | 59–53 | 29–33 | | |
| Jerry Wainwright (Colonial Athletic Association) (1994–2002) ||||||
| 1994–95 | Jerry Wainwright | 16–11 | 10–4 | 2nd | – |
| 1995–96 | Jerry Wainwright | 13–16 | 9–7 | 3rd | – |
| 1996–97 | Jerry Wainwright | 16–14 | 10–6 | T1st | – |
| 1997–98 | Jerry Wainwright | 20–11 | 13–3 | T1st | NIT First round |
| 1998–99 | Jerry Wainwright | 11–17 | 9–7 | T–4th | – |
| 1999–2000 | Jerry Wainwright | 18–13 | 8–8 | 4th | NCAA first round |
| 2000–01 | Jerry Wainwright | 19–11 | 11–5 | T–2nd | NIT First round |
| 2001–02 | Jerry Wainwright | 23–10 | 14–4 | 1st | NCAA second round |
| Jerry Wainwright: | Jerry Wainwright: | 136–103 | 84–44 | | |
| Brad Brownell (Colonial Athletic Association) (2002–2006) ||||||
| 2002–03 | Brad Brownell | 24–7 | 15–3 | 1st | NCAA first round |
| 2003–04 | Brad Brownell | 15–15 | 9–9 | 7th | – |
| 2004–05 | Brad Brownell | 19–10 | 13–5 | T–2nd | – |
| 2005–06 | Brad Brownell | 25–8 | 15–3 | 1st | NCAA first round |
| Brad Brownell: | Brad Brownell: | 83–40 | 52–20 | | |
| Benny Moss (Colonial Athletic Association) (2006–2010) ||||||
| 2006–07 | Benny Moss | 7–22 | 4–14 | T–10th | – |
| 2007–08 | Benny Moss | 20–13 | 12–6 | T–2nd | – |
| 2008–09 | Benny Moss | 7–25 | 3–15 | 12th | – |
| 2009–10 | Benny Moss | 7–14 | 3–7 | n/a | |
| Benny Moss: | Benny Moss: | 41–74 | 22–42 | | |
| Brooks Lee (Colonial Athletic Association) (2010–2010) ||||||
| 2009–10 | Brooks Lee | 2–8 | 2–6 | T–9th | |
| Brooks Lee: | Brooks Lee: | 2–8 | 2–6 | | |
| Buzz Peterson (Colonial Athletic Association) (2010–2014) ||||||
| 2010–11 | Buzz Peterson | 13–17 | 7–11 | 7th | |
| 2011–12 | Buzz Peterson | 10–20 | 5–13 | T–8th | |
| 2012–13 | Buzz Peterson | 10–20 | 5–13 | 9th | |
| 2013–14 | Buzz Peterson | 9–23 | 3–13 | 9th | |
| Buzz Peterson: | Buzz Peterson: | 42–80 | 20–50 | | |
| Kevin Keatts (Colonial Athletic Association) (2014–2017) ||||||
| 2014–15 | Kevin Keatts | 18–14 | 12–6 | T–1st | CIT first round |
| 2015–16 | Kevin Keatts | 25–8 | 14–4 | T–1st | NCAA first round |
| 2016–17 | Kevin Keatts | 29–6 | 15–3 | 1st | NCAA first round |
| Kevin Keatts: | Kevin Keatts: | 72–28 | 41–13 | | |
| C. B. McGrath (Colonial Athletic Association) (2017–2020) ||||||
| 2017–18 | C. B. McGrath | 11–21 | 7–11 | 6th | |
| 2018–19 | C. B. McGrath | 10–23 | 5–13 | 10th | |
| 2019–20 | C. B. McGrath | 5–14 | 0–6 | n/a | |
| C. B. McGrath: | C. B. McGrath: | 26–58 | 12–30 | | |
| Rob Burke (Colonial Athletic Association) (2020–2020) ||||||
| 2019–20 | Rob Burke | 5-8 | 5–7 | 9th | |
| Rob Burke: | Rob Burke: | 5-8 | 5-7 | | |
| Takayo Siddle (Colonial Athletic Association) (2020–present) ||||||
| 2020–21 | Takayo Siddle | 7-10 | 1-6 | 10th | |
| 2021–22 | Takayo Siddle | 27-9 | 15-3 | T-1st | CBI Champion |
| 2022–23 | Takayo Siddle | 24-10 | 12-6 | T-3rd | |
| 2023–24 | Takayo Siddle | 21-10 | 12-6 | T-3rd | |
| 2024-25 | Takayo Siddle | 27–7 | 14–4 | 2nd | 2025 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament |
| Takayo Siddle: | Takayo Siddle: | 106-46 | 54-25 | | |
| Total: | Total: | 735–652 | | | |
| National champion   Postseason invitational champion   Conference regular season champion   Conference regular season and conference tournament champion  Division regular season champion  Division regular season and conference tournament champion  Conference tournament champion ||||||
UNC Wilmington began playing Division I NCAA basketball in the 1976–77 season. The above records do not include the years UNC Wilmington played as a junior college (1951–63) or in the NAIA (1963–76).

## Postseason results
### Division I NCAA tournament results

The Seahawks have appeared in the Division I NCAA tournament six times. Their combined record is 1–6.
| Year | Round | Seed | Opponent | Result |
| 2000 | First Round | #15 | #2 Cincinnati | L 47–64 |
| 2002 | First Round Second Round | #13 | #4 USC #5 Indiana | W 93–89 $^{OT}$ L 67–76 |
| 2003 | First Round | #11 | #6 Maryland | L 73–75 |
| 2006 | First Round | #9 | #8 George Washington | L 85–88 $^{OT}$ |
| 2016 | First Round | #13 | #4 Duke | L 85–93 |
| 2017 | First Round | #12 | #5 Virginia | L 71–76 |

### NIT results

The Seahawks have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) two times. Their combined record is 0–2.
| Year | Seed | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1998 | | First Round | Wake Forest | L 52–56 |
| 2001 | | First Round | Dayton | L 59–68 |

### CBI results

The Seahawks have appeared in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) one time. They were the champions of the 2022 College Basketball Invitational. Their combined record is 4–0.
| Year | Seed | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 2022 | #9 | First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals | #8 VMI #1 Drake #12 Northern Colorado #2 MTSU | W 93–78 W 76–75 W 80–64 W 96–90$^{2OT}$ |

### CIT results

The Seahawks have appeared in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) one time. Their record is 0–1.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 2015 | First Round | Sam Houston State | L 71–87 |

## Seahawks in the NBA

* Brian Rowsom
* Matt Fish
* Devontae Cacok

## Seahawks in international leagues

* Adam Smith (born 1992), basketball player for Hapoel Holon in the Israel Basketball Premier League

## Former Seahawks as head coaches

Former UNC Wilmington Players
* Mark Byington, (1994–1998), Head basketball coach of Georgia Southern (2013–2020), James Madison (2020–2024),Vanderbilt (2024–present)
* John Calipari, (1978–80), Head basketball coach of UMass (1988–96), NBA New Jersey Nets (1996–99), Memphis (2000–09), Kentucky (2009–24), Arkansas (2024–present)
* Billy Donlon, (1995–99), Head basketball coach of Wright State (2010–2016), UMKC (2019–2022)
* Todd Lickliter, (1975–76), Head basketball coach of Butler (2001–07), Iowa (2007–10), Marian (2012–2015), Evansville (2020–2022)
Former UNC Wilmington Coaches
* Brad Brownell, UNC Wilmington Head Coach (2002–2006), Head basketball coach of Wright State (2006–10), Clemson (2010–present)
* Kirk Earlywine, UNC Wilmington Asst Coach (2006–07), Head basketball coach of Eastern Washington (2007–2011)
* Kevin Eastman, UNC Wilmingtin Head Coach (1990–94), Head basketball coach of Washington State (1994–99), NBA Boston Celtics Asst Coach (2004–2005)
* Frank Haith, UNC Wilmington Asst Coach (1990–92), Head basketball coach of Miami (FL) (2004–2011), Missouri (2011–2014), Tulsa (2014–2022)
* Dave Hanners, UNC Wilmington Asst Coach (1986–89), NBA Asst Coach Philadelphia 76ers (2000–03), Asst Detroit Pistons (2003–05), Asst New York Knicks (2005–06), Asst Charlotte Bobcats (2008–2010), Asst New Orleans Pelicans, (2010–2015)
* Kevin Keatts, UNC Wilmington Head Coach (2014–17), Head basketball coach of NC State (2017–2025)
* Jeff Reynolds, UNC Wilmington Asst Coach (1990–94), Head basketball coach of Wingate (1997–2000), US Air Force Academy (2007–2012)
* Byron Samuels, UNC Wilmington Asst Coach (1992–94), Head basketball coach of Hampton (1995–97), Radford (2002–2007), Florida A&M (2014–2017)
* Rodney Terry, UNC Wilmington Asst Coach (1998-2002), Head basketball coach of Fresno State (2011-2018), UTEP (2018–current)
* Jerry Wainwright, UNC Wilmington Head Coach (1994–2002), Head basketball coach of Richmond (2002–05), DePaul (2005–2010)