Ready or not, Conference Play is here! The Seahawks open with Delaware, currently one of the bottom 4 teams in the league in both RPI (# 250) and efficiency ratings (see below):

Efficiency Ratings (kenpom.com)

UNCW

Adjusted Offense: # 166 (of 351)
Adjusted Defense: # 327
Overall: # 271

Delaware

Adjusted Offense: # 163
Adjusted Defense: # 291
Overall: # 227


Unfortunately, as you can see, we've been even worse than the Blue Hens so far this season. The Blue Hens have also won 5 games against D-I competition compared to just 1 for the Seahawks.

Delaware's play has gotten better over the course of the season under 2nd year coach and former Notre Dame assistant Martin Ingelsby. They've won 3 straight to build some momentum heading into league play, including a nice home win over Cal State Bakersfield (# 129 RPI), who had also won 3 straight before falling to the Hens.

Delaware are led by sophomore guard Ryan Daly, who was the CAA's Rookie of the Year in 2016-17. Daly is picking up right where he left off in his 2nd season, averaging 16.9 points, 5.5 boards, 1.4 steals, 2.8 assists and sporting a 2.25 Assist:Turnover Ratio. If there's a weakness to his game, it's perimeter shooting, as the 6-5 combo guard is 24-72 from three (.333). Daly, as he displayed last season, is more of a slasher, looking to score or dish while attacking the rim.

Daly seems to have a better supporting cast than last season, as four other Hens players are averaging double digits. One of those is another Ingelsby recruit, freshman guard Kevin Anderson. Another big guard at 6-5, Anderson is 2nd on the team in scoring (13.7 ppg). However, Anderson suffered a knee injury in practice Christmas night, forcing him to miss Delaware's last contest against Cornell, and is questionable for the CAA opener.

In the interior, Redshirt junior forward Eric Carter is averaging nearly a double-double this season (10.2 ppg, 8.9 rpg). The 6-9, 235 lbs big man is essential to Delaware's success, as Ingelsby likes to run with a 4-guard lineup.

The rest of the Blue Hens' starting lineup has mostly been a revolving door of a lot of different players. Outside of Daly, Anderson and Carter, 5 different players have received 3 or more starts this season. The most successful of these has been freshman guard Ryan Allen. The 6-2 Maryland product is 3rd on the team in scoring (13.5 ppg), and is the team's best perimeter threat (27-66, .409 from three). Only Daly (37.2 mpg) is receiving more minutes per game than Allen (33.8).

Delaware has several weaknesses that have prevented them from looking like a Top 6 team so far in 2017-18. They struggle to defend AND score from 3, allowing opponents to shoot .414 while shooting just .343 themselves. The Blue Hens also lack a rim protector, with just 29 blocked shots (2.2 per game). Only 2 players have more than 4 blocks on the season: Anderson (8) and Carter (7). Obviously, running a 4-guard lineup impacts this ability, but recall that even while running a 4-guard lineup, the Seahawks averaged more than twice as many blocks last year (4.8 per game). Thus, it also comes down to a personnel issue as well.

On the positive side for Delaware, they do a good job of protecting the ball despite having a sophomore and 2 freshmen playing 30+ minutes each night. Delaware averages just 11.2 turnovers per contest, less than their opponents (11.9).

Given our struggles and the decent young talent Delaware has (whether Anderson is available or not), and the discipline Ingelsby has already instituted in his young squad, I'm not going into this contest with the expectation of a win. That is, unless Coach McGrath has been waiting for CAA play to show his hand.