Box Score WILMINGTON – The University of Mount Olive men's basketball team opened its 2025-26 season with an exhibition matchup against UNC Wilmington, falling 106-77 on Monday evening.
Freshman
Jaevian Alston led four Trojans in double figures, scoring 14 points off the bench on 6-of-10 shooting while adding eight rebounds.
Matt Kirby followed with 13 points,
Redford Dunton added 12, and
Raul Perez chipped in 10.
Nolan Hodge paced the Seahawks with 21 points on 8-of-14 shooting, while Maddison Durr tallied 18. Patrick Wessler finished with 17, and both Greedy Williams (14) and Noah Ross (13) also reached double digits for UNCW.
The Trojans battled early, with
Christian Ananaba sinking free throws and a jumper to tie the game at 9-9. However, an 8-0 Seahawk run gave UNCW a 17-9 edge. A pair of tough three-pointers from
Christopher Brown and Alston trimmed the deficit to four, 17-13, before the Seahawks responded with a 24-5 surge fueled by UMO's turnovers and fouls. UNCW took control, leading 62-33 at halftime after shooting 52.1 percent from the floor in the opening frame.
UMO showed flashes in the second half, sparked by a 9-1 run midway through the period behind Alston, Brown, and
Blake Kooiman. That stretch extended to a 12-5 run, with Alston accounting for seven of the Trojans' 15 points during the sequence.
Mount Olive shot 44 percent from the field and 31 percent from beyond the arc, hitting five three-pointers in the second half. Despite their offensive rhythm, the Trojans couldn't overcome the Seahawks' efficient 52.1 percent shooting and 24 made free throws on 39 attempts.
UMO was sharp at the line, going 16-for-19 (84%), with perfect marks from Kirby (5-5), Ananaba (4-4), and Brown (2-2).
The Trojans continue non-conference action at the Barton 45-Second Classic, facing Augusta on Friday, Nov. 14, at 5 p.m., and Wingate on Saturday, Nov. 15, at 11 a.m. Mount Olive returns home for the 60th Annual Mount Olive Pickle Classic on Nov. 21 against Middle Georgia State.
