Men’s Basketball Travels to ASUN Foe North Florida
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men's basketball team travels to Jacksonville, Florida, to face its second Atlantic Sun (ASUN) foe of the season in North Florida (UNF). The two teams will battle on Saturday, Dec. 14, at UNF Arena with a 5:00 p.m. start time.
UNF is currently 6-4 overall, while the Spartans are 5-4 and on a two-game winning streak. This will be the first contest between the two teams in program history.
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE SPARTANS
- UNCG defeated crosstown rival North Carolina A&T, 67-55, on Saturday at Corbett Sports Center.
- Three Spartans registered double figures with Kenyon Giles pacing the game with 25 points to match his career high.
- Donovan Atwell scored 15 points and Jalen Breath registered 10 points and 10 rebounds for his fifth career double-double.
- Giles, Atwell and Malik Henry each had five rebounds.
- UNCG outrebounded A&T, 41-32.
SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
- 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 has 13 regular season non-conference games this season: five home, five away and three neutral.
- Non-conference breakdown: CAA (2), ASUN (2), Big South (1), ACC (1), Big Ten (1), Big West (1), Mountain West (1), Conference USA (1), NCCAA (1), DIII (2)
- The Spartans opened the 2024-25 season with their first of two SoCon/ASUN battles including Florida Gulf Coast, taking the win 73-64.
- There will be six games in Fleming Gymnasium and eight in the First Horizon Coliseum this season.
- 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.
- 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.
- Ronald Polite III and 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.
- Demetrius Davis joins the Spartans after playing the last two seasons at Chattanooga and one year each at Lawson State Community College and Augusta.
- Three Spartans are averaging double figures, including Giles (17.0), Polite III (12.0) and Atwell (11.7).
- Breath and Miles Jones are pacing the team with 7.8 and 5.4 rebounds per game, respectively.
- The Spartans are nationally ranked 25th in field goal percentage defense (38.3), 27th in scoring defense (63.6) and 34th in three-point percentage defense (28.1).
- The Spartans are leading the conference in field goal percentage defense and least number of turnovers per game (10.9).
- UNCG is second in the SoCon in scoring defense and three-point percentage defense.
- Giles is nationally 52nd in three-pointers per game (3.00), 64th in three-point percentage (42.9) and 75th in total three-point field goals made (27).
- Breath is leading the SoCon in double doubles (3) and second in rebounds (70), defensive rebounds per game (5.44) and rebounds per game (7.8).
- UNCG has the advantage against its foes in points per game, 70.0-63.6, three-pointers per game, 8.9-5.8, rebounds per game, 39.6-35.3, assists per game, 13.9-11.0, and steals per game, 5.9-5.6.
SCOUTING NORTH FLORIDA
- UNF concluded the 2023-24 season with a 16-16 overall record and 9-7 in the ASUN.
- UNF was voted to finish seventh in the 2024-25 ASUN Preseason Coaches' Poll and earned one first-place vote.
- The Ospreys began the season on a three-game winning streak, before falling to Georgia, 90-77.
- Five Ospreys are averaging double figures, including Josh Harris leading the charge with 16.1 points per game.
- Jasai Miles (14.2), Liam Murphy (13.3), Nat Literas (12.9) and Jaylen Smith (11.7) are the remaining Ospreys averaging double figures.
- Miles is pacing UNF with 7.6 rebounds per game, while Harris is second with 7.2 boards per game.
- Smith is averaging 6.1 assists per game.
- He is nationally ranked 14th in assists per game and 15th in assists (61).
- Murphy is nationally ranked 11th and leading the conference in three-pointers per game (3.60) and total three-point field goals made (36).
- Harris is 16th nationally in field goal percentage (64.8).
- UNF has the edge over its opponents in points per game (88.5-82.0), rebounds per game (40.6-40.0), three-pointers per game (13.9-6.7) and assists per game (17.1-15.8).
- The Ospreys are leading the ASUN in nine categories: assist/turnover ratio (1.54), assists per game (17.1), bench points per game (31.0), fastbreak points (12.20), defensive rebounds per game (27.80), rebounds per game (40.50), scoring offense (88.5), three-point attempts per game (37.7) and three-pointers per game (13.9).
- UNF is leading the nation in three-point attempts per game and three-pointers per game, while also ranking seventh in scoring offense.
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 home to host William Peace on Tuesday, Dec. 17 in Fleming Gymnasium at 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday's game is a Guilford County Residents' Night: All Guilford County Residents receive the discounted ticket rate of $10 with proof of residency!
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 a Spiro plush toy and UNCG Spartan holiday ornament while supplies last! Click here to learn more.
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