• After spending 10 seasons at his alma mater, McMahon
joins Buzz Peterson at UNCW. Over the past decade McMahon has
been the recipient of several accolades, including being named one
of the top 15 mid-major assistants by CollegeInsider.com and the
sixth best assistant nationally - as chosen by his peers - in a
FoxSports.com survey.
• Served as assistant under Peterson at Appalachian State,
helping ASU to its winningest stretch in program history between
2007-10 (80 wins).
• A two-year starter during his playing days at ASU, McMahon
was part of a Mountaineers team which reached the 2000 NCAA
Tournament.
NCDS: Matt McMahon, Asst. Coach - UNCW
As our first season at UNC Wilmington winds down, I wanted to take a few minutes to reflect back on our February 12 comeback victory at Towson. There have been many exciting moments this year, from Trevor Deloach’s buzzer beater against Georgia State to our first win over Wake Forest in school history. The win at Towson ranks right up there because our players overcame adversity to prevail on the road. Trailing by as many as 22 points and down 64-44 at the under 12:00 media timeout, we battled back to win 95-93 in overtime. Obviously, a lot of things had to go right to turn around a 22-point deficit. Let’s take a look back at how it happened.
Our run started in a timeout huddle with 11:51 to play. Coach Peterson instilled a belief in our players that we were going to win the game. Entering the season, we talked about the success of our season hinging on our ability to handle adversity and stay committed to building our team and our program. Quite simply, it is about creating a winning culture. So regardless of the score, Coach Peterson demands maximum effort on every possession whether it is in practice or in the game. And then he holds our players accountable. So in my opinion, this comeback started with Coach Peterson’s initial vision for UNCW basketball. And through our players’ belief, work ethic, and positive energy, we completed the biggest comeback in UNCW history.
For a team that averages 64 points per game, scoring 51 points in less than 17 minutes is quite a challenge. In the second half and overtime period, our players responded with our most efficient offensive performance of the season. We shot 21-for -31 from the field (67.7%), 7-for-9 from three-point range (77.8%), and 19-for-23 at the free throw line (82.6%). Points per possession (PPP) is a statistic that we like to use to measure our offensive and defensive efficiency. The national average is usually between 1.00 and 1.02 points per possession. During this 17 minute span of basketball, our PPP was 1.82 scoring 51 points on just 28 possessions. We scored quick baskets in transition, got to the free throw line, and executed our half court offense to perfection.
When giving up 93 points, you will never say your defense was good. However, as poor as we defended the first 28 minutes, we certainly improved on it in the final 17 minutes. After being dominated on the boards, we returned to boxing out and limiting Towson to one shot. We did not give up a live offensive rebound during the last 12 minutes of regulation. This allowed us to fuel our comeback by getting out in transition and finishing layups.
Spectacular and memorable individual performances were vital in the comeback. All-Conference senior point guard, Chad Tomko was all over the box score. He scored 31 points, had 6 assists and only 2 turnovers, and also added 5 rebounds and 3 steals. Twenty-five of his points came after halftime when he shot 5-for-6 behind the arc. Senior wing Ahmad Grant scored 17 of his 24 points in the second half and only missed one shot the entire game. His crucial free throws sent the game into overtime. And 6-11 sophomore forward Matt Wilson produced a career-high 19 points, including 17 in the second half, and developed into our go-to player inside late in the game.
The Foundation of Our Comeback:
- Leadership – from Coach Peterson and our seniors
- Belief, Teamwork, and Positive Energy – from all 11 players in uniform
- Transition Offense – in the final 17 minutes of play, we had 10 layups and dunks.
- 3-Point Shooting – we shot 7-for-9 from three-point range in the second half and overtime.
- Free Throws – we were able to put points on the scoreboard with the clock stopped. We made 19-for-23 free throws in the second half and overtime.
- “1 and Done” – we limited Towson to one shot attempt per possession instead of giving up second opportunities. This also opened up our transition attack.
- Outstanding Individual Performances – Chad Tomko, Ahmad Grant, and Matt Wilson
Thank you once again to our amazing fan base at UNC Wilmington. The support this season has made a major impact on our program. We look forward to seeing everyone in Richmond at the CAA Tournament.
Go Seahawks!
Matt
