GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men's basketball team will hit the road for the final time in the regular season on the 2024-25 campaign to face ETSU on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. in Johnson City, Tennessee, and Mercer on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. in Macon, Georgia.
 
UNCG is tied for first place in the SoCon standings with Chattanooga with an 11-3 conference record. The Spartans are 18-9 overall on the 2024-25 season.

ETSU comes into Wednesday's matchup with a 15-12 overall record and 8-6 mark in the SoCon. The Bucs are tied with Wofford for fourth place in the conference standings.
 
Mercer currently is in a tie with Western Carolina for eighth place in the SoCon with a 11-16 overall record and is 4-10 in league play. The Bears will travel to Charleston, South Carolina, on Wednesday to take on The Citadel at 7:00 p.m. before hosting the Spartans on Saturday.
 
ETSU holds the slight overall advantage over UNCG, 23-21. The Spartans secured the 70-65 victory over the Bucs on Jan. 29 in Fleming Gymnasium.
 
UNCG has the overall advantage against the Bears in the all-time series, 13-11. The Bears edged the Spartans, 79-78, in Greensboro earlier this season on Jan. 22.
 

 
 
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE SPARTANS

• UNCG went 2-0 last week after defeating VMI, 80-54, on Wednesday in Greensboro and then taking down Furman, 58-50, on Saturday in Greenville, South Carolina.
• Two Spartans reached double figures in the team's win over the Paladins, as Kenyon Giles led all scorers with 19 points and Ronald Polite III had 15 points.
• Donovan Atwell chipped in eight points and seven rebounds.
• Jalen Breath added seven points and eight rebounds.
• Malik Henry and Breath each had three blocks.
• Polite III registered a game-high five assists, while Giles was second with four.
• The Spartans had the advantage in field goal percentage (39.3-26.8), three-point percentage (33.3-26.7) and free throw percentage (83.3-70.6).
• UNCG outmatched Furman in points in the paint (26-10), points off turnovers (11-9) and second-chance points (9-5).

SCOUTING THE SPARTANS

• Three Spartans are averaging double figures, including Giles (15.6), Atwell (14.0) and Polite III (13.8).
• Breath (6.6), Henry (4.5) and Miles Jones (4.0) are pacing the team in rebounds per game.
• The Spartans are in the top 50 nationally in six categories, including field goal percentage defense (15^th/39.4), scoring defense (17^th/64.0), three-point percentage defense (23^rd/29.7) three-point percentage (26^th/37.7), three-pointers per game (45^th/9.4) and scoring margin (50^th/9.3).
• The Spartans are leading the SoCon in field goal percentage defense, scoring defense, three-point percentage and three-point percentage defense.
• Nationally, Atwell is ranked sixth with 87 three-point field goals made, 13^th with a 3.22 three-pointers per game average, 19^th with 213 three-point attempts and 47^th with a 40.8 three-point percentage.
• Atwell is leading the conference in three-point attempts, three-pointers per game and total three-point field goals made. He is second in three-point percentage.
• UNCG has the advantage against its foes in points per game, 73.2-64.0, three-pointers per game, 9.4-7.0, rebounds per game, 37.3-33.6 and assists per game, 13.2-10.6.
• Giles joined the Spartans after two years at Radford, where he was first on the team with 1.4 steals per game and second on the team with 14.3 points per game.
• Polite III and Henry both came to UNCG with four years previously at George Mason. Polite III has averaged 7.38 points per game and 2.5 assists per game. Henry contributed a 62.5-percentage in field goals during his time with the Patriots.
• Demetrius Davis joined the Spartans after playing the last two seasons at Chattanooga and one year each at Lawson State Community College and Augusta.
• UNCG concluded last season 21-11 overall and 12-6 in SoCon and it was the seventh year out of eight with 20 or more wins for the Spartans.
• The Spartans were voted to finish sixth in the 2024-25 SoCon Preseason Coaches' Poll and Atwell was voted to the 2024-25 Preseason All-SoCon team.
• The Spartans returned nine from last year's roster and added seven newcomers. 

SCOUTING ETSU

• The Bucs dropped their two SoCon matchups last week after falling, 76-67, at Western Carolina on Wednesday and, 78-71, at Chattanooga on Saturday.
• ETSU is leading the SoCon and is 25^th nationally with a 13.33 offensive rebounds per game average.
• The team is second in the league in turnover margin (2.1), scoring defense (67.2), rebound margin (3.9), and blocks per game (3.8).
• Quimari Peterson stands out in the top 50 nationally among five categories, including field goals (15^th/189), field goal attempts (20^th/400), points (23^rd/507), points per game (42^nd/18.8) and steals (35^th/52).
• Peterson is pacing the SoCon in field goal attempts, field goals, points and points per game.
• John Buggs III is leading the league and is 44^th nationally with a 41.1 three-point percentage.
• ETSU is besting its opponents in points per game (72.7-67.2), three-pointers per game (8.6-7.2), rebounds per game (37.6-33.7), assists per game (13.1.-11.8), steals per game (8.0-5.8) and blocks per game (3.8-3.6).
• ETSU was voted to finish third in the 2024-25 SoCon Preseason Coaches' Poll and received two first-place votes.
• Peterson and Jaden Seymour were voted to the Preseason All-SoCon Team.

SCOUTING MERCER

• Mercer has lost its last five conference matchups with most recently taking losses at Furman, 96-72, in Greenville on Wednesday and then against VMI on Saturday, 80-71, in Macon.
• The Bears stand out in the top 50 nationally in fast break points (26^th/14.11), steals per game (29^th/8.9), rebounds per game (32^nd/38.89) and defensive rebounds per game (41^st/26.89).
• Mercer is leading the conference in rebounds per game and is second in fast break points, defensive rebounds per game, scoring offense, steals per game and turnovers forced per game.
• Ahmad Robison is 26^th nationally with 54 steals and 39^th with a 2.00 steals per game average. He leads the conference in both categories.
• Robinson is second in the league with 136 assists, 5.0 assists per game, 347 field goal attempts, 109 free throws and 449 points.
• Mercer is beating out its opponents in points per game (78.6-77.2), rebounds per game (38.9-38.5) and steals per game (8.9-7.9)
• Mercer was voted to finish seventh in the 2024-25 SoCon Preseason Coaches' Poll.

TICKETS FOR HOME SPARTAN GAMES
To secure your tickets for UNCG men's basketball home games click HERE for options including single games and group discounts, flex plans, and full season ticket options.  The home basketball schedule includes eight (8) home games at First Horizon Coliseum and Six (6) home games at Fleming Gymnasium. To learn more about upcoming ticket promotions or to purchase over the phone call the UNCG Ticket Office at 336-334-3250. 
 
PURCHASE UNCG GEAR
UNCGgear.com is your one-stop shop for all of your official UNCG merchandise! From apparel to accessories, there is something for everyone!
 
UP NEXT
The Spartans will close out the 2024-25 regular season schedule next week by hosting Chattanooga on Thursday, Feb. 27 at 7:00 p.m. in First Horizon Coliseum and Samford on Saturday, March 1 at 4:00 p.m. in Fleming Gymnasium.