UNCW WINS ROMAN CBI TITLE

UNCW WINS ROMAN CBI TITLE

March 23, 2022

DAYTONA BEACH – In one of the most thrilling games in all of college basketball this season, UNCW needed double overtime to withstand Middle Tennessee and win the 2022 Roman CBI championship with a 96-90 decision at the Ocean Center.Jaylen Sims and Mike Okauru both scored 28 points to lead the Seahawks. Okauru garnered all-tournament team honors while Sims was named the CBI’s Most Outstanding Player. Middle Tennessee led 45-35 with 14:54 to play and UNCW chipped at the lead, but still trailed 69-65 when Jaylen Fornes nailed a three with eight seconds left to bring the deficit to within one. A Donovan Sims free throw expanded the lead by one but Jaylen Sims’ two free throws with one second left in regulation sent it to overtime tied at 70.

In the first overtime, Okauru hit a pair of free throws to give the Seahawks an 81-78 lead with 16 seconds to go. However, Donovan Sims’ three with four second left tied it at 81 and sent it to double overtime, marking just the third double overtime game in CBI history and both those occurring 12 years and two days ago when Saint Louis beat Bowling Green, 68-62 and Princeton beat IUPUI 74-68 on March 22, 2010.In the second overtime session, UNCW trailed 88-86 when Donovan Sims hit a layup with 1:53 left. The Seahawks then outscored the Blue Raiders, 10-2 the rest of the way with Okurau recording three points and a block down the stretch.UNCW ends the season 26-9, while Middle closes out 26-10.Joining Jaylen Sims, Donovan Sims and Okauru on the all-tournament team are Northern Colorado’s Daylen Kountz and Abilene Christian’s Coryon Mason.

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