Appalachian State (10-15, 7-10) at UNCG (4-21, 3-13), 7 pm
Video: Spartan All Access
Audio: Spartan All Access (free) / Yahoo! Sports (free)
Radio: WPET 950-AM // WUAG 103.1-FM
LiveStats: UNCGSpartans.com
Storylines
• The Spartans return to Fleming Gym to face Appalachian State on Thursday night. UNCG topped Appalachian State earlier in the season, 85-83, in overtime in Boone. Damian Eargle had 25 points and 11 rebounds in the win at the Holmes Center. Eargle's 25 points were the most by a freshman in 16 seasons going back to February 1, 1993 when Scott Hartzell had 25 in an overtime win at Chicago State.
|
Mikko Koivisto had eight three-pointers on his way to 28 points in Saturday's game at Chattanooga.
|
• UNCG is coming off of a loss at Chattanooga on Saturday night, 84-75. Despite foul trouble all night, the Spartans hung around thanks to Mikko Koivisto's 28 points. Koivisto was 8-of-15 from three-point range. There were 32 fouls whistled against UNCG in the game, compared to 17 against the Mocs. Chattanooga went to the foul line 49 times. UNCG had 49 field goal attempts.
• UNCG closes out the regular season with three of its final four at Fleming Gym. At this point, the Spartans could be a No. 4, 5 or 6 seed in the North Division, but need to win Thursday to maintain a mathematical chance at the fourth slot..
• The all-time series between UNCG and Appalachian State is tied, 15-15. UNCG has won the last three meetings.
• The Spartans have three players averaging double figures in conference play Mikko Koivisto (14.3 ppg), Ben Stywall (13.8 ppg) and Damian Eargle (12.5 ppg). In fact, in non-conference play, Stywall was averaging 7.3 ppg and Eargle just 5.1 ppg. Their field goal percentages have changed drastically, as well. Stywall was 36.0 percent in non-league play, but is shooting 57.1 in SoCon action. Eargle was 37.5 in non-league play, but is at 47.3 percent in league games.
• UNCG has used 17 different starting combinations in 25 games this season. The remaining nine scholarship players on the active roster have started multiple games thus far and none have started every game. All nine are averaging double figure minutes, as well from Ben Stywall's 32.8 per game down to DeAngelo Jackson's 14.0 per game.
• Ben Stywall has seven double-doubles this season, five of them in conference play. Stywall is averaging a league-best 8.9 rebounds per game in conference play this season. His 8.6 rebounds per game overall is fifth in the league. He has 20 double-digit rebound games in his career, 10 of them this season.
• UNCG freshman Damian Eargle is averaging 12.5 ppg in SoCon play. He had 22 points and a season-high five blocks at College of Charleston, his second 20-point game this season and followed that up with 18 points at The Citadel. He leads the conference with 48 blocked shots this season ( he was one shy of a school record with six against Davidson) and now has at least one block in 16 of the last 18 games.
• Mikko Koivisto has made 115 of his last 127 at the foul line going back to the latter half of his freshman season and is now 139-161 from the line for his career 86.3%, which is the best in UNCG history. He leads the SoCon in free throw percentage this season at 89% (65 of 73) and is in the Top 20 in the nation. In the last two minutes of games, he is 33-40 for his career (82.5%), including 14-14 this season and has made 15 straight going back to last season.
• Ben Stywall became the ninth player in school history to record 500 career rebounds in the Georgia Southern game. He topped the 600 rebound mark at Chattanooga and is now sixth in school history in career rebounds with 601 entering Thursday.
• Mikko Koivisto made his 50th three-pointer of the season at Georgia Southern, making it three straight seasons with 50 or more treys. He joins Jay Joseph and Scott Hartzell as the only Spartans to achieve the milestone in three seasons. Both did it in in all four seasons. Koivisto got to another three-point milestone at Chattanooga with his 200th career three-pointer. (He now has 201.)
• UNCG has two active players climbing the career 3-point field goal lists. Mikko Koivisto has 201 entering tonight (third), while Kendall Toney has 144 (10th).
