Campbell vs UNC Wilmington Odds, Lines and Spread (Dec. 22)

• Campbell is a 3.5-point favorite against UNC Wilmington on Wednesday
• Campbell has lost its last 10 games at Trask Coliseum
• Read below for analysis and a betting prediction

UNC Wilmington (5-5) is a 3.5-point home underdog against Campbell in a nonconference game at noon Wednesday. The Seahawks lost 59-51 at Pittsburgh, the only Power 6 team they have faced this season.

Campbell (7-3) has played a more challenging schedule, with two of its losses coming at Duke at Virginia Commonwealth. The Camels covered both. They have played five games determined by four points or less, winning three.

Campbell vs. UNC Wilmington Odds

Odds from BetMGM on Dec. 21.

Campbell Starts Strong

A veteran group including all five returning starters has helped Campbell get off to a fast start in non-conference play, losing only to Duke and Virginia Commonwealth on the road before being upset at home by Georgia Southern 69-66 its last time out Dec. 15, a loss that should serve as a motivator here.

Six players, all juniors or seniors, are averaging at least 9.4 points per game in a tight rotation. All six are averaging at least 25.5 minutes per game and no one else is playing more than 12 for a team that was picked to win the Big South North and played in the conference title game a year ago.

Senior 6-6 forward Cedric Henderson, Jr., a preseason All-Big South pick, is leading the Camels in scoring and rebounding, averaging 13.0 points and 6.2 rebounds for the Camels.

Jesus Carralero (11.6 points, 4.3 assists)  and Ricky Clemons (10.2, 5.9 rebounds) are the other double-figure scorers. Carralero had 16 points and eight rebounds against Georgia Southern, which led Campbell by 10 with 107 seconds remaining but held on when the Camels missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Campbell opponents are shooting 40.2 percent from the field, and the Camels have limited all 10 opponents to fewer than 70 points — Duke had 77 — and rank No. 23 in NCAA Division I in scoring defense at 59.1 points per game.

Some of that has to do with the fact that the Camels play at one of the slowest tempos in Division I, according to KenPom. The Camels average 63 possessions per game, 347th among the 358 teams in the rankings.

Campbell made a season-high nine three-pointers in 23 attempts against Georgia Southern and has made at least one three in 282 straight games. The Camels led the league in 3-point last year but are off to a slow start, hitting only 30.3 percent.

BIG plays on the BIG stage!#RollHumps pic.twitter.com/EXd8Gwp91g

— Campbell Basketball (@GoCamelsMBB) December 21, 2021

Seahawks Rolling

UNC Wilmington will bring its second two-game winning streak of the season into its last non-conference game before meeting Colonial Athletic Association preseason favorite Delaware on Dec. 29. The Seahawks finished ninth in the preseason league poll.

Senior guards 6’6 Jaylen Sims and 6’3 Mike Okauru are averaging 10.9 points a game to lead the Seahawks. Sims leads at 6.4 rebounds per game and Okauru leads with 3.0 assists.

Few players in America are playing as well as this guy. UNCW’s 6-foot-6 junior is scoring 27 points per night, while shooting 55% from the floor. He also gets it done on the glass, pulling down nearly seven rebounds per contest. Jaylen Sims… #HeCanPlay pic.twitter.com/ntkBG9PfH9

— College Insider Inc. (@collegeinsider) December 9, 2020

CAA Rookie of the Week freshman forward 6’6 Trazarien White is coming off his best week, with 26 points and 14 rebounds while shooting 61.1 percent from the field in victories over High Point and Mount Olive. The Seahawks beat High Point 67-65 the last time out Saturday on Sims’ driving basket with two seconds remaining.

Guard Shykeim Phillips, an off-and-on starter, came off the bench for 17 points against High Point. He is the Seahawks’ third-leading scorer at 9.3 per game while starting six of 10.

By the Numbers

Campbell is ranked 170th in KenPom adjusted efficiency margin. UNC Wilmington is 300th.  UNC Wilmington leads the series 62-44, 42-13 in Division I games, and has won five of the last six and seven of the last 10.

Campbell has had no success in Wilmington for decades, but the experienced Camels should have enough to break the Trask Coliseum losing streak

The pick: Campbell -3.5 (-110)