The highest scoring and most efficient offense in the Colonial Athletic Association improved to 2-0 in conference play for the first time in over a decade on Monday as UNC Wilmington downed Elon (8-7, 0-2), 79-63.

UNCW (13-2, 2-0) showed little signs of fatigue in its fourth game in eight days. The Seahawks recorded 11 steals and forced 18 turnovers, committing only nine of their own. They were led by the trio of Chris Flemmings, Denzel Ingram and C.J. Bryce, who combined for 55 points and shot 10-27 from long distance.

Flemmings got his shooting touch back after going 1-17 from 3-point range in his previous three outings. He shot 7-14 from the floor including 4-9 from deep, finishing with 19 points and six rebounds.

“That’s Chris,” said junior Jordon Talley. “Chris is a player. He’s not going to be off every game. When you can play you can play. It’s going to come back.”

The sophomore standout season of Bryce continued as he has now scored in double figures in 13 of 15 games this season after totaling 19 points and 11 rebounds on Monday. Bryce is second in the CAA in points per game at 17.6 behind Northeastern University’s T.J. Williams (21 ppg).

Third-year head coach Kevin Keatts has been the conference’s Coach of the Year the past two seasons and improved to 28-4 at Trask Coliseum after the win.

“I thought our guards were really tremendous as far as frustrating their guards and keeping the ball out of their hands,” Keatts said. “Our press was special tonight. Even at times when we didn’t get steals we forced them into quick shots.”

Keatts called Ingram the team’s engine after a 76-67 win at Towson on New Year’s Eve. Entering Monday, Ingram had averaged 22.6 points in his last three contests vs. East Carolina, Clemson and Towson. On Monday he netted four second half 3-pointers to finish with 17 points and six assists.

A 3-pointer from Brian Dawkins put Elon on the board less than a minute into the first half before UNCW took a 10-0 run into the first media timeout sparked by a three from Flemmings and highlighted by a Devontae Cacok midcourt steal and right-handed slam.

Elon’s eighth-year head coach Matt Matheny called a timeout down 15-3 at the 13:50 mark following another Flemmings triple and a Jordon Talley jumper. Another 3-pointer from Flemmings, a layup from Marcus Bryan and two free throws from Bryce extended a 23-0 UNCW run to make it 23-3 less than ten minutes in.

Elon made it 28-13 with a 3-pointer from Steven Santa Ana with under 8:00 to play in the first half prompting a timeout from a vocal Keatts.

The Seahawks then went scoreless for over four minutes until Ambrose Mosely made a free throw to make the UNCW lead 29-18. A 3-pointer from Bryce before a TV timeout at 3:30 and a layup from Flemmings cooled an 18-6 Elon spurt that cut the deficit to six with 1:19 to play in the first. That is as close as Elon would get. UNCW led at half 34-26.

“We came out to a really good start,” said Bryce “All our shots seemed to be falling. Once they stopped falling I think we stopped defending.”

UNCW would re-extend its lead in the second half behind a concerted offensive effort. Another Flemmings three at the 7:39 mark sparked a desperation timeout from Matheny behind 68-53.

“We weren’t good enough to beat them tonight,” said Matheny. “I thought we played like young players early in the game. We were down big in a great basketball environment and I was proud of the way our guys came back.”

Two layups from Bryce, a Mosely 3-pointer and two baskets from Flemmings in the final minutes sealed the victory for the Seahawks, who travel to Philadelphia next to take on Drexel on Thursday before visiting Delaware on Saturday. Both games are 7 p.m. starts.

The Seahawks return to Trask Coliseum on Jan. 12 to take on William & Mary at 7 p.m. before Hofstra comes to town on Jan. 14 for a 2 p.m. CAA Saturday battle.