It’s gameday for the Seahawks, as UNCW heads west to visit in-state rival Elon tonight at Schar Center. 

This is the first of two Perchcast episodes we’ll have this week, focused on last week’s victories over Monmouth and Delaware, then previewing what to expect tonight vs. the Phoenix.

We’ll have an Elon review/Charleston preview ready for your enjoyment on Friday morning.

Our guest this week is Jason Lanier, an original member of The Hecklers who remains involved with the Seahawk Club and recently led the efforts to produce the #ShyTime t-shirt.

There’s nobody out there that cares more about UNCW than Jason, and it was fun to chat with him about the good ol’ days in Richmond and also the good now days. We’ve got more merch coming your way soon, so be on the lookout.

Included in this episode…

- Did UNCW really ‘learn’ physicality from its first two games?

- Monmouth tried to punk us in Trask, didn’t they?

- A major improvement on defense in a matter of a week.

- The coaching staff made an effort to get Maleeck Harden-Hayes involved early, and it worked!

- Should Shemar Rathan-Mayes be playing more and/or should Donovan Newby be playing less?

- Are the Seahawks a better 3-point shooting team than they’ve shown lately?

- Is the old CAA making a comeback this season?

Hangin' Tough feat. Jason Lanier

After a 10-day hiatus, rivalry week is back!With UNCW set to visit Charleston and the CAA schedule reaching the midpoint, we thought it was high time to bring Friend of the Perch Brian Mull back for another conversation.

(Unfortunately, the audio cut out at several points during excellent answers from Brian.)

In this week’s episode, we discussed:

The Seahawks’ incredible performance at Northeastern.

The Seahawks’ incredibly frustrating performance at Stony Brook and why things went down like that.

Noah Ross and Nolan Hodge setting the tone with their defensive energy.

What will help Donovan Newby get going down the stretch? (#TeamNewby)

Takeaways from Round One vs. Charleston, and what will and won’t carry over.

Can Ante Brzovic be stopped? How should UNCW play him defensively?

Breaking down the depth of the league and some pleasant surprises in the standings.

The CAA needs to embrace creativity and incentivize scheduling tough opponents for the good of the league.

Mulling the CAA Hoops Midpoint feat. Brian Mull

It’s gameday, and we’ve got a new episode of Perchcast to catch up on the wins over Charleston and Campbell, as well as a look ahead to tonight’s first-place showdown with Drexel. 

Here’s what we touched on for this week:

A grown-man win at Charleston! 


Donovan Newby is making shots, and you know we’re fired up!


UNCW’s depth showed up last week, and why that matters for March.


Khamari McGriff coming up big in both games last week, and why we’re excited to see him get another shot at the Dragons.


Our view on analytics, ShotQuality and other such tools. 


The Brothers, Nolan Hodge and Noah Ross, are contributing everywhere thanks to their effort. We heard a neat story related to those shirts featuring Kyle Moshier’s design.


Campbell showed up ready to play with a great plan.


Shemar Rathan-Mayes is playing a huge, valuable role in limited minutes.


Ahmard Harvey didn’t play vs. Campbell, but expect him to make an impact vs. Drexel.


Is there anyone who might have a breakout game off the bench tonight?

Saturday’s trip to Hampton sets up as a classic trap game as the Pirates look for their first CAA win.

Happy Newbruarby to Those Who Celebrate

We've got a special Perchcast coming your way!

Ladies and gentlemen: The Sophomore Sensations, The Dynamic Duo, The Brothers ... Noah Ross and Nolan Hodge joined us to cover anything and everything UNCW basketball.

During the conversation, we touched on:

- Their paths to UNCW and committing on the same day.
- Making the high school to college hoops adjustment.
- Settling into their roles this season and fighting through adversity.
- Life on the road for the first two months of the season.
- Teammates they've most enjoyed watching grow.
- Trask Magic!
- Refocusing after the loss at Stony Brook.
- The Seahawks' ceiling with Maleeck Harden-Hayes back in the fold.

Brothercast feat. Noah Ross + Nolan Hodge

Turns out, the season will continue on Thursday night after all!

No doubt, Saturday night was a rough one, but your resident optimists are here to break down what was a strange week for the Seahawks, including one of the more stunning losses we've dealt with lately.

Topics in this episode include:
- Where did things get weird vs. Elon?
- Zone defenses are affecting UNCW ... but probably not how you're thinking.
- Maleeck Harden-Hayes is attacking since he returned!
- One game without Tra and some strange vibes in the building.
- The Patented UNCW February 17/18 loss and a recent history of bounce-back finishes.
- Some light threats to Brett Yormark and anyone else who tries to squeeze mid-majors out of the tournament.
- The NCAA is trying to make the NIT irrelevant. 
- Families, players and the support staff see the wildly negative stuff a few people post on social media, and it's not cool!

We Will Survive (hey, hey)

We’re back, and so is Brian Mull back to wrap up the regular season for UNCW and preview what’s to come in the CAA Tournament in both the big picture and specifically along the Seahawks’ path.

We’ll have a postgame podcast for each of UNCW’s games in the tournament, so keep an eye out for our content!

CAA Preview Extravaganza feat. Brian Mull

A refreshingly honest conversation with UNCW basketball coach Takayo Siddle looking back on the highs and lows of the 2023-24 season, looking ahead to the portal and where the program stands. 

Also, a little clarification on his offensive and defensive systems and the excitement of watching his mentor Kevin Keatts and NC State pull off the impossible.

March Madness feat. Takayo Siddle

We're thrilled to have Coach Nicole Woods sit down for a great conversation looking back on her first season leading the UNCW women's basketball program, and the work they're already putting into build for 2024-25.

We went all the way back to her childhood in Gastonia, summers on a farm in Reidsville and how her competitive spirit was developed playing every sport imaginable at the Boys & Girls Club.

After nearly having a promising basketball career derailed by knee injuries, a chance conversation landed Woods at Belmont Abbey where she needed time to grow up off the court becoming a Hall of Fame-caliber player.

Plenty of those lessons have come in handy since she began her coaching career as an assistant focused on building relationships with her players — and one she never thought would lead her into a head coaching job.

She explained what changed her mind and led her to take over in Wilmington, the foundation her first team put down, and her approach to bringing a team along after several years of uncertainty.

Finally, she details her approach to the transfer portal and recruiting, how a tweet might ultimately land a recruit, and marketing with #OurBeachIsBetter.

Burning Bush Moments feat. Nicole Woods

For this week's show, we welcomed new Seahawk Sean Moore!

You might remember Sean from scoring a career-high 19 points to lead FDU to one of the all-time stunners in college hoops history vs. Purdue.

After hitting the portal as a grad transfer a few weeks back, UNCW instantly made him a priority and brough him in for a visit on the first weekend.

Sean got into the details on his visit, how the coaches pitched him on his role with the Seahawks, impressions of the city, and what caused him to commit before taking another visit.

Also, he shared his story from being a little-known D2 guard to creating a moment that will forever live in March Madness, how he's improving his game, and the energy he plans to bring Trask next season.

Headin' Down South feat. Sean Moore

As the Seahawks prepare to open the Athens Regional on Friday night vs. Georgia Tech, Coach Randy Hood and closer Luke Craig join us to reflect on the season and what it will take for UNCW to break through a challenging weekend.

The outro song is Jayson Arendt's new single, "Like a Small Town". Check it out wherever you download music or listen on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIurFeCwKKs

In this episode, we touch on..

- Last year's regional disappointment setting the stage for 2024
- "The best team to never win a regional"
- Overcoming a slow start after the Hawks fell to 11-10
- Craig's personal journey to blossoming in the closing role
- This team's growth throughout the season and overcoming adversity
- Having fun along the way
- Who is Tanner Thach?
- Previewing Georgia Tech, Georgia and Army

To Win a Good Name in Athens feat. Randy Hood + Luke Craig

Sometimes smart, sometimes silly —  always Seahawks.

Perchcast is a weekly show focused on the people and stories of UNCW athletics with a strong emphasis toward men's basketball. We aim to go deeper than the headlines and tweets, and use interviews, analytics and occasionally the eye-test to connect fans with the Seahawks.

Hangin' Tough feat. Jason Lanier

Perchcast

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