GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men's basketball team will conclude its 2024 road slate against Piedmont Triad foe Elon on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. at Schar Center.  
 
The Spartans are 6-5 overall and the Phoenix is 7-4. Elon leads in the overall series, 26-19. UNCG is on a six-game win streak against Elon with three of them coming at the Schar Center. The Spartans' most recent victories include an 82-73 win on Dec. 10, 2023, at the First Horizon Coliseum, formerly the Greensboro Coliseum and won 65-61 on Dec. 3, 2022, in Elon, North Carolina.
 

 
 
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE SPARTANS

• UNCG dominated Division III opponent William Peace on Tuesday in Fleming Gym and won 86-37.
• Four Spartans scored double figures, including Donovan Atwell who led the game with 14 points.  
• Kenyon Giles was second with 13 points, while Demetrius Davis scored a season-high 12 points and Akrum tallied 11 points.
• UNCG's 13 three-pointers are the most this season.
• The Spartans surpassed the Pacers in field goal percentage, 55.2-32.6, three-point percentage, 46.4-13.6, and free throw percentage, 81.8-80.0.
• UNCG also had the advantage in points in the paint, 36-14, points off turnovers, 24-10, bench points, 43-15, and fastbreak points, 16-0.

SCOUTING THE SPARTANS

• Three Spartans are averaging double figures, including Giles (16.0), Atwell (13.3) and Ronald Polite III (12.0).
• Giles has had 10 games this season with double figures.
• Jalen Breath and Miles Jones are pacing the team with 7.2 and 5.8 rebounds per game, respectively.
• The Spartans are nationally ranked 23^rd in scoring defense (63.5) and three-point percentage defense (28.2), 26th in field goal percentage defense (38.9), 69^th in three-pointers per game (9.3), 78^th in rebounds per game (38.82) and 87^th in least number of turnovers per game (11.1).
• The Spartans are leading The Southern Conference (SoCon) in field goal percentage defense and scoring defense.
• UNCG is second in the SoCon in three-point percentage (36.4), three-point percentage defense and least number of turnovers per game (11.1).
• Giles is nationally ranked 75^th in three-point percentage (41.9), 79^th in three-pointers per game (2.82) and 81^st in total three-point field goals made (31).  
• Atwell is 45^th nationally in three-point attempts (87), 55^th in three-pointers per game (3.00) and 61^st in total three-point field goals made (33).  
• Breath is 62^nd in the nation with three double-doubles this season, which is second in the SoCon.
• UNCG has the advantage against its foes in points per game, 72.1-63.5, three-pointers per game, 9.3-6.1, rebounds per game, 38.8-34.5, assists per game, 14.5-11.9, steals per game, 6.5-5.7.
• Giles joins 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 Malik Henry both come 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.
• Davis joins 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 The Southern Conference (SoCon).
• This was the seventh year out of eight with 20 or more wins for the Spartans.
• This was the second out of three years under Head Coach Mike Jones that the Spartans won 20 or more games.
• The Spartans were voted to finish sixth in the 2024-25 SoCon Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• Atwell was voted to the 2024-25 Preseason All-SoCon team.
• The Spartans return nine from last year's roster, while adding seven newcomers.
• UNCG begins its SoCon slate with a game on New Year's Day, traveling to Spartanburg, South Carolina, to face off against Wofford and the Spartans conclude regular season conference play on March 1 against Samford in Greensboro.
• UNCG travels to Wofford on Jan. 1 and Chattanooga on Jan. 9 and will play on the CBS Sports Network.
• The Spartans' game at ETSU on Feb. 19 will be on ESPNU, while the team will host Samford on March 1 on ESPN2 or ESPNU.

SCOUTING ELON

• Elon was voted to finish 12th in the 2024-25 CAA Preseason Poll.
• Junior guard TK Simpkins was named to the 2024-25 Preseason All-CAA Team.
• The Phoenix finished the 2023-24 season with a 13-19 overall mark and a 6-12 CAA record.
• The Phoenix returned nine players from its squad a season ago including three starters.
• Head Coach Billy Taylor, who was an assistant coach at UNCG from 1999-02, begins his third season with Elon.
• Prior to falling to SoCon foe ETSU on Wednesday, 84-58, Elon was on a four-game win streak.
• Four from the Phoenix are averaging double figures, including TJ Simpkins (15.2), Nick Dorn (14.9), TK Simpkins (14.3) and Sam Sherry (12.1).
• Dorn is ranked nationally ranked 28^th in three-pointers per game (3.27), 31^st in total three-point field goals made (36) and 39^th in three-point attempts (89).
• Matthew Van Komen is averaging 8.6 rebounds per game and 2.9 blocks per game.
• Van Komen is nationally ranked fifth and leading the conference in blocks per game. He is nationally ranked 11^th and pacing the CAA in offensive rebounds per game (3.8).
• Andrew King is pacing the team with 3.6 assists per game, while the Simpkins are each averaging 1.2 steals per game.
• Among nationally rankings, Elon is in them top 15 in five categories, including rebounds per game (5^th/43.64), least number of fouls per game (5^th/12.4), rebound margin (8^th/11.2), defensive rebounds per game (8^th/30.00) and field goal percentage defense (12^th/37.9).

 
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. 
 
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UP NEXT
The Spartans return from the holiday break and will host Virginia University of Lynchburg on Saturday, Dec. 28 in Fleming Gymnasium with a start time of 4:00 p.m.
 
Holiday offer! Purchase tickets for 50-percent for select UNCG basketball home games as part of a holiday special. Purchasers have the option to add-on special gift items including Spiro plush toy and UNCG Spartan holiday ornament while supplies last! Click here to learn more.