The UNC Wilmington men’s basketball team started the season the right way, with a win in the Seahawks’ first exhibition game against Saint Andrews, 80-69. It is the 23rd straight exhibition win.

UNCW started the game with a 10-0 run and never looked back, leading the entire game. The Knights remained close, though, drawing it as close as four points at multiple times in the game.

“You play these exhibitions to see what you need to work on,” coach Buzz Peterson said. “It was good for us, and we needed that. We will make some adjustments.”

As expected, the Seahawks were led by junior Keith Rendleman. The team’s starting forward played a total of 29 minutes and racked up the season’s first double-double with 14 points and 17 rebounds.

In addition to Rendleman, the Seahawks started guards Tanner Milson (Soph.), Donte Morales (Soph.), Freddie Jackson (Fr.) and fellow forward Shane Reybold (Soph.).

Despite Jackson being the only rookie starter, several freshmen also contributed highly to the win, including Adam Smith (nine points), K.K. Simmons (nine points) and Cedrick Williams (six points and four blocks).

For many of the rookies who were starters last season at the high school level, coming off the bench will be an adjustment as well.

“When you’re on the bench you have to stay ready all the time,” Simmons said. “If somebody comes out, you have to go out with the same energy as they did, and as a team you have to cheer everyone on go out there and play hard and play together.”

Peterson rolled through the roster, playing 15 different players throughout the game in several different combinations.

The Seahawks lack of experience showed at times throughout the game, turning the ball over 18 times. The Knights, who had no one on their roster over 6-foot-5-inches tall proved to be a challenge for the Seahawks to defend as well.

“We need to focus on fundamentals, especially on the defensive end, pressuring the ball, being in the gaps, and the biggest thing is when the ball is shot we need to box out,” Peterson said. “We just need a lot of reps.”

They will get those reps in UNCW’s final exhibition Nov. 6 against St. Augustine’s before opening the season Nov. 13 at Maryland.