Men's Basketball Hosts Bluefield State Saturday In Fleming For Homecoming
Korey Van Dussen
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG men's basketball team holds an exhibition game Saturday night as the Spartans host Bluefield State on campus at Fleming Gymnasium in the culmination of the 2012 UNCG Homecoming festivities. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. and admission is free, but due to limited seating, a ticket is required. Tickets will be distributed from the Fleming Gym ticket office on game day beginning at 4 p.m. Gates will open at 5 p.m.
The Spartans are coming off one of the biggest in-season turnarounds in the nation last year as UNCG opened the season with a 2-14 record before closing out the season with an 11-5 mark. UNCG is led by head coach Wes Miller who took over the team midseason last year and guided it to the Southern Conference North Division championship while being named the SoCon Coach of the Year.
UNCG is led by Junior Trevis Simpson (Douglas, Ga./Coffee) who was chosen as a preseason All-SoCon player this year. Simpson led the Southern Conference in scoring averaging 18.3 points per game, scoring in double figures 27 of 30 times last year. He ranks 10th in the NCAA Division I in scoring among returning players and is third among all returning juniors in the nation
The Spartans return four starters and most of its key reserves from last season's team. senior guard Derrell Armstrong (Mechanicsville, Md./Allegany CC) who earned Third Team All-SoCon honors last year. Armstrong averaged 12.5 points per game, despite coming off the bench in 29 contests. Senior guard Korey Van Dussen (Zeeland, Mich./Zeeland East) started 28 games last season and averaged 6.5 points per game while handing out 58 assists.
Rounding out the returning starters for the Spartans is junior forward David Williams (Jacksonville, Fla./First Coast) and junior guard Drew Parker (Houston, Texas/LaPorte). Williams started 31 games last season and led the team on the glass at 5.3 rebounds per game. Parker made 26 starts last year as a sophomore and led the SoCon in three-point shooting, connecting on 47.6 percent (40-of-84).
Also in the mix for UNCG is sophomore Nicholas Paulos (Salt Lake City, Utah/New Hampton School), who played in 29 games last season and was third on the team with 39 3-pointers made. Junior forward Taylor Hoffer (Poulsbo, Wash./North Kitsap) played in 31 of 32 games last season, averaging 10.0 minutes per game while Brian Cole (Dacula, Ga./Dacula) returns from injury after being limited to just four games last year.
The Spartans welcome in five recruited newcomers for the 2012-13 season, including a pair of transfers and three true freshmen. Fifth-year senior forward Kelvin McNeil (Newport News, Va./Delaware) joins the Spartans after lettering three years at Delaware while junior Kyle Cain (Chicago, Ill./Arizona State) joins the program after earning two letters Arizona State. McNeil will be eligible immediately as he received his bachelor's degree from Delaware and will have one year of eligibility remaining, while Cain will sit out the season due to NCAA Division I transfer rules and will have two years of eligibility remaining.
UNCG welcomes in three freshmen to the program this season in forward Kayel Locke (Owings Mill, Md./McDonough), guard Jordan Potts (Columbus, Ohio/Northland) and center RJ White (Frisco, Texas/Frisco).
Bluefield State, an NCAA Division II member institution, posted a 1-26 record last season in the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference last year and was picked to finish 14 out of 15 teams this season in the preseason poll. The Blues had five different players average double figures last season, but allowing 99.7 points per game against.
Additionally, alumni and fans are invited to head over to the pregame tailgate party and beer garden behind Fleming Gymnasium/HHP building from 4-6:30 p.m. All are welcome with food tickets costing $9 per person and includes pulled pork, chicken and sides.
- UNCG -