GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men's basketball team continues its four-game road stretch with three games in the 2024 Ball Dawgs Classic at Lee's Family Forum in Henderson, Nevada, from Monday to Wednesday.
 
UNCG will open the week with Long Beach State (LBSU) on Monday at approximately 11:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. PT and follow that with Tuesday's opponent in San Jose State at approximately 11:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. PT. The Spartans will conclude the classic with UTEP on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT.
 
This will be the first meeting for UNCG against all three teams.
 

 
 
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE SPARTANS

• UNCG dropped a close fight to No. 16 Indiana, 69-58, on Thursday in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
• Ronald Polite III led the Spartans with 17 points and three assists. This is his third game this season with double figures.
• Donovan Atwell was second on the team with 10 points.
• Jalen Breath paced the Spartans with nine rebounds, while Joryam Saizonou chipped in eight points.
• Kenyon Giles had seven points, five rebounds and two steals.
• Indiana held the slight edge in points in the paint, 24-22, points off turnovers, 17-16, fast break points, 7-6, and bench points, 19-18.
• UNCG had the advantage over Indiana in three-point percentage, 28.1-26.3.
• The Spartans climbed out of a 16-point deficit in the first half and headed to the break with Indiana on top, 36-27. UNCG then tied the game for the first time at 40 with 15:57 on the clock before the Hoosiers ultimately secured the win.

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 SoCon Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• Atwell was voted to the 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.
• 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.
• 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 (14.0), Polite III (12.0) and Atwell (11.8).
• Jones and Breath are pacing the team with 7.8 and 7.5 rebounds per game, respectively.
• The Spartans are nationally ranked 41^st in field goal percentage defense (37.7), 44^th in defensive rebounds per game (29.50) and 45^th in rebounds per game (42.00).
• UNCG is second in the SoCon in rebounds per game and third in three-point percentage (36.2), scoring defense (67.0), defensive rebounds per game, free throws made per game (14.0), free throw attempts per game (20.0) and field goal percentage defense.  
• Jones is nationally ranked 43^rd in defensive rebounds per game (6.75) and is second in the SoCon.
• Giles is nationally ranked 82nd in steals per game (2.25), which is third in the conference.  
• UNCG has the advantage against its foes in points per game, 74.5-67.0, three-pointers per game, 9.5-6.0, rebounds per game, 42.0-37.0, assists per game, 15.3-12.5, and steals per game, 7.5-6.0.

 
SCOUTING LONG BEACH STATE

• LBSU concluded the 2023-24 season 21-15 overall and 10-10 in The Big West.
• The Beach won their first Big West Championship since 2011-12 and earned the program's 10th bid to the NCAA Tournament, where they fell to Arizona, 85-65.
• The Beach was voted to finish eighth in The 2024 Big West Preseason Poll, under the direction of first-year head coach Chris Acker.
• Long Beach State is entering the classic on a five-game losing streak, which includes its most recent loss to Fresno State on Saturday, 72-69.
• Devin Askew is pacing LBSU with 16.7 points per game, while T.J. Wainwright is averaging 12.8 points per game.
• Derrick Michael Xzavierro and Austin Justin are both averaging 6.7 rebounds per game.
• Opponents are outmatching LBSU in points per game, 71.8-66.2, steals per game, 7.2-7.0.

 
SCOUTING SAN JOSE STATE

• San Jose State concluded the 2023-24 season 9-23 overall and 2-16 in the Mountain West.
• San Jose State was voted to finish eighth in the 2024 Mountain West Preseason Poll, under the direction of fourth-year head coach Tim Miles.
• San Jose State is entering the classic on a two-game losing streak, with losses to USC, 82-68, and UC Santa Barbara, 64-59.
• Josh Uduje is pacing the team with 15.7 points per game and Will McClendon is second with 12.0 points per game.
• Robert Vaihola with 5.7 rebounds per game and Uduje with 5.2 boards per game are leading San Jose State.
• Opponents have the edge in points per game, 70.2-68.5, field goals per game, 26.5-24.5, three-pointers per game, 7.7-6.2, rebounds per game, 33.0-32.5 and assists per game, 12.7-10.7.
• San Jose State is nationally ranked second in lowest turnovers per game (7.8) and 26^th in free throw percentage (79.2).

 
SCOUTING UTEP

• UTEP concluded the 2023-24 season 18-16 overall and 7-9 in Conference USA (CUSA), falling in the championship game.  
• The Miners were voted to finish tied for fifth in 2024 CUSA Preseason Poll, under the direction of fourth-year head coach Joe Golding.
• UTEP is entering the classic on a two-game winning streak, which includes victories over UC Santa Barbara, 79-76, and UTPB, 78-58.  
• Four Miners are averaging double figures this season, including Otis Frazier III with 16.5 points per game, Ahamad Bynum with 14.7, Devon Barnes with 13.8 and Corey Camper Jr. with 10.8.
• Kevin Kalu is pacing UTEP with 5.3 rebounds per game, while Frazier III is averaging 4.25 assists per game.
• The Miners have the edge over their opponents in points per game, 79.8-68.5, assists per game, 15.8-15.0 and steals per game, 12.8-6.5.
• UTEP is nationally ranked first in turnovers forced per game (20.25), third in steals per game (12.8), fourth in three-point percentage (44.3), sixth in turnover margin (8.3) and 18^th in fastbreak points (19.25).
• Corey Camper Jr. is nationally ranked seventh with 3.00 steals per game.
• Bynum is second nationally with a 73.3 three-point percentage.

 
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
UNCG will return home to host Triad foe, High Point on Tuesday, Dec. 3 in Fleming Gymnasium at 7:00 p.m. This will be the Spartans' White Out Game, wear white! The first 500 UNCG students will receive a white hat! Pre-game tailgate at the UNCG Middle College gym starting at 5 p.m. for UNCG students. UNCG students will receive free food, games and more! Seating is limited! Purchase your tickets today!