GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men's basketball team returns home this week to host ETSU on Wednesday, Jan. 29 with tipoff at 7:00 p.m. inside Fleming Gymnasium in The Southern Conference (SoCon) battle.
 
The Spartans will then host Wofford on Saturday, Feb. 1 for their second matchup of the season at the First Horizon Coliseum with a start time of 6:00 p.m. This game will be broadcast on ESPN+ as well as Nexstar affiliates for this year's Ingles SoCon Game of the Week.
 
UNCG is 13-8 overall this season with a 6-2 SoCon mark. ETSU is coming into the Wednesday night contest with a 12-9 overall mark and a 5-3 league record. Wofford will host VMI before traveling to Greensboro and the Terriers are currently 11-10 overall and 5-3 in SoCon action.
 

 
 
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE SPARTANS

• UNCG split its SoCon games last week, falling to Mercer at home, 79-78, and then defeating VMI on the road, 60-57.
• Ronald Polite III paced the Spartans last week, averaging 14.0 points per game, while Kenyon Giles had 12.5 and Donovan Atwell averaged 10.5 points per game.
• Jalen Breath paced UNCG with 8.0 rebounds per game last week.
• The Spartans outrebounded both opponents last week, first Mercer (46-39) and then VMI (41-33).
• Against Mercer, the Bears made a three-pointer with 37 seconds left to come within one and then drained two free throws to take the one-point win, 79-78.
• Against the Keydets, Giles made a three-pointer with 1:23 left in the game to take a one-point lead, 58-57. Giles and Breath then each made one free throw which gave the Spartans a three-point gap for the win, 60-57.

SCOUTING THE SPARTANS

• Three Spartans are averaging double figures, including Giles (16.4), Atwell (14.2) and Polite III (12.9).
• Breath (5.9), Miles Jones (4.6) and Malik Henry (4.4) are pacing the team in rebounds per game.
• The Spartans are in the top 50 nationally in six categories, including three-point percentage defense (3^rd/27.5), three-point percentage (17^th/38.4), scoring defense (22^nd/64.4), three-pointers per game (27^th/10.0), field goal percentage defense (31^st/39.9) and turnovers forced per game (34^th/10.3).
• The Spartans are leading the SoCon in field goal percentage defense, scoring defense, three-point percentage, three-point percentage defense and turnovers per game.
• Giles is nationally ranked in the top 50 in total three-point field goals made (34th/60), total three-pointers per game (34th/3.00) and three-point percentage (40th/42.0).
• Nationally, Atwell is ranked in the top 50 in total three-point field goals made (8^th/69), three-pointers per game (13^th/3.29), three-point attempts (29^th/162) and three-point percentage (30^th/42.6).  
• Atwell is leading the conference in three-point attempts and total three-point field goals made.
• UNCG has the advantage against its foes in points per game, 74.1-64.4, three-pointers per game, 10.0-6.3, rebounds per game, 37.3-34.1, assists per game, 13.7-11.0, and steals per game, 6.3-5.9.
• 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.
• 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

• ETSU was voted to finish third in the 2024-25 SoCon Preseason Coaches' Poll and received two first-place votes.
• Quimari Peterson and Jaden Seymour were voted to the Preseason All-SoCon Team.
• ETSU leads the overall series 23-20.
• The two teams split the regular season series last year, as UNCG won, 70-54 and then lost, 66-65.
• ETSU and UNCG faced off in a SoCon Quarterfinal game last year, where the Bucs came out on top, 73-62.
• The Bucs most recently fell to Chattanooga on the road, 63-71, after earning wins against Samford, 65-60, and Western Carolina, 85-58.
• Peterson is averaging 18.3 points per game, while Seymour is second on the team with 17.7 points per game and Jon Buggs III has 11.4 points per game.
• Seymour is pacing the team with 7.3 rebounds per game and Karon Boyd is second with 6.9 boards per game.
• The Bucs hold the edge against its opponents in points per game (74.3-67.0), three-pointers per game (9.0-6.5), rebounds per game (38.2-33.0), assists per game (14.0-11.4) and steals per game (8.0-6.3).
• Among the SoCon, ETSU is leading the league and is 20^th in the nation in offensive rebounds per game (13.81)
• Peterson is pacing the SoCon in field goal attempts (293), field goals (145), points (384) and points per game (18.3).

 
SCOUTING WOFFORD

• Wofford was voted to finish fourth in the 2024-25 SoCon Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• Kyler Filewich was voted to the 2024-25 Preseason All-SoCon Team.
• Wofford will face VMI prior to coming to Greensboro.
• In the battle on Jan. 1, UNCG clipped Wofford, 68-66.
• Davis (16 points), Polite III (16 points) and Giles (12 points) paced the way for the Spartans.
• With the win, UNCG handed Wofford its first loss at home after winning four straight games. The Spartans also extended their regular season win streak against the Terriers to seven.
• Wofford has the advantage in the overall series, 32-24.
• Corey Tripp (13.0), Dillon Bailey (11.9) and Filewich (11.2) are pacing the Terriers in scoring with double figures.
• Filewich is averaging 9.9 rebounds per game and 3.4 assists per game.
• Filewich is leading the SoCon in double-doubles (7), rebounds (208), defensive rebounds per game (6.29), offensive rebounds per game (3.62) and rebounds per game.
• The Terriers have the advantage against their opponents in points per game (74.6-70.2), three-pointers per game (9.5-9.1), rebounds per game (38.7-31.0) and assists per game (16.0-12.3).
• Wofford is pacing the SoCon in rebound margin (7.6) and rebounds per game (38.71).

 
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 will split time on the road and at home next week in their next two SoCon battles. UNCG travels to Charleston, South Carolina, for a midweek contest against The Citadel on Wednesday, Feb. 5 with a tipoff at 7:00 p.m.
 
The Spartans then host Western Carolina on Saturday, Feb. 8 at 4:00 p.m. at the First Horizon Coliseum. This will be the Spartans' Faith and Family Night!