UNCG begins official practice for 2010-11 men's basketball season
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The 2010-11 men's basketball preseason kicked off on Friday at UNCG as the Spartans went through their first official workout.
The team worked out for about three hours in its on-campus practice facility located in the HHP Building. Preseason workouts will move over to the Greensboro Coliseum on Saturday and Sunday morning in preparation for the team's "Go Blue Preview" event on Sunday at 5 p.m.
The team has a fairly new look to it this season – beyond the new stylish gold and white Nike practice jerseys. Only two players on the floor for the first practice on Friday night where there when practice began in October, 2008. Brandon Evans, who wasn't eligible after transferring from East Carolina, and Elhanan Bone were the only players on the floor that night. Darrius Sellers was on the roster, but he was recovering from leg surgery.
Evans is the lone senior on this year's squad. Eight freshmen and redshirt freshmen are on the roster, along with four sophomore. Don't be fooled by the four juniors, either – two of them are first-year players having transferred from junior colleges. But the youthful squad has promise as it comes with a lot of talent.
"We are a very young squad with only one senior," said coach Mike Dement. "We have done a lot of defensive fundamental work in the early individual workouts. But we still may have to be a little simpler in terms of what we put in and how quickly we put it in during this preseason."
The Spartans will open the season at VCU on Friday, Nov. 12. The home opener is Sunday, Nov. 14 against Florida State at 3:30 p.m.
UNCG season tickets and "Gimme 5" packs are on sale now and will also be available at the "Go Blue Preview." Season tickets may be purchased online at ticketmaster.com or by calling the UNCG athletics ticket office 336-334-3250.
Details on the "Gimme 5" packs – a new mini-pack that includes UNCG's game against defending national champion Duke and four other pick-em games – are available at uncgspartans.com or by calling 336-334-3250.