Complete Game Notes
This Weekend
After a short break, the Spartans resume play in the EA Sports Maui Invitational this weekend in Murfreesboro, Tenn. ... UNCG faces Middle Tennessee on Saturday and either Belmont or Towson on Sunday ... the Spartans have already played a pair of games in the Maui Invitational, losing at Tennessee (11/14) and at Georgetown (11/17) ... UNCG is a combined 3-6 all-time against the three  other teams in Murfreesboro.

UNCG Head Coach Mike Dement
Mike Dement is in the sixth season of his second tenure as head coach at UNCG. Dement returned to UNCG on April 9, 2005 for his second stint as men's basketball coach. He previously served as the Spartans' head man from 1991-95. Dement, 57, is the ninth head coach in school history – and the first to serve two different tenures as head coach of the program. His 122 wins at UNCG are the most in school history for men's basketball. Dement has also served head coaching stints at Cornell (1987-91) and SMU (1996-04). Overall, Dement is 327-362 in his 25th season as a head coach.

UNC Pembroke Leftovers
Trevis Simpson tied a career-high with four 3-pointers in the win over the Braves ... Simspon scored 22 points, his third career game of 20 or more points ... Kyle Randall moved into a tied with 188 career assists after recording five on Thursday ... the win was just UNCG's third non-conference victory since the start of the 2008-09 season ... the Spartans were 8-of-19 (.421) from 3-point range against the Braves, after shooting just 8-of-32 (.250) in their first two games.

Funny... I always thought Maui would be warmer
While Murfreesboro may not have palm trees (or a beach, an ocean, hula dancers, etc.) four teams have gathered in this Middle Tennessee town this weekend for the EA Sports Maui Invitational. How's that, you ask? Because for the first time in tournament history we have an expanded field.
    The four teams (Belmont, Middle Tennessee State, UNCG and Towson) are known as the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational "Mainland Teams." Each of the eight Island Teams (excluding Chaminade) has thus far played one game each against a Mainland Team – seven games in total – before traveling to Maui for the Championship Round. The Mainland Teams are playing each other in the "Regional Games" – a four-game event.
    So while Duke, Georgetown, Kansas, Memphis, Michigan, Tennessee, UCLA and host Chaminade are enjoying luaus and sun burn, the Mainland Regional will be basking in the glow of moderate sunshine and mid-50s temps.  Aloha!

UNCG vs. the Maui (Murfreesboro) Field
UNCG is 3-6 all-time against the Murfreesboro-portion of the EA Sports Maui Invitational. The Spartans are 2-1 vs. MTSU (last meeting: W, 70-58, 11/30/02 @ Greensboro); 0-2 vs. Belmont (last meeting: L, 66-63 1/14/98 @ Greensboro); and 1-3 vs. former Big South Conference foe Towson (last meeting: W, 77-61, 2/20/95 @ Greensboro).

Spartans Picked Fourth in SoCon North
UNCG men's basketball team has been picked to finish fourth in the Southern Conference North Division in 2011-12 according to a vote by league head coaches, the conference office announced in October.
    Chattanooga and Davidson are the favorites to capture the Southern Conference's divisional men's basketball titles in 2011-12.  Appalachian State senior guard Omar Carter was also named the SoCon Preseason Player of the Year as part of the preseason all-conference team.  Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team or student-athletes as part of the balloting.
    Dement begins the sixth season of his second tenure at UNCG and his 10th season overall with the Spartans looking to build upon last season's strong finish. After opening the year with a 0-15 mark, a team consisting of 11 first-and-second year players closed by winning seven of their final 16 games. The Spartans also won their opening game at the Southern Conference tournament before falling in the quarterfinals.
    The Spartans return four starters and several key reserves from last season's squad, including 2011 Southern Conference All-Freshman team honoree Trevis Simpson. In 27 games, including nine starts, the 6-4 swingman averaged 11.8 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. Other returning starters include 6-10 senior center Aloysius Henry (9.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg) and junior point guard Kyle Randall (9.4 ppg, 103 assists). Forward Aaron Brackett (7.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg) and guard Korey Van Dussen (8.7 ppg, 3.0 rpg) also return.
    In all, eight players who averaged 14 minutes per game last season return for '11-12.

Another Tough Schedule
    An appearance in the Maui Invitational, home games with East Carolina and 2011 Final Four participant VCU, and road games at Duke, Florida State and Miami (Fla.) highlight UNCG's 2011-12 men's basketball schedule, announced today by head coach Mike Dement.
    In all, the Spartans are slated to play 30 regular season contests including 12 home games, all at Greensboro Coliseum. In addition to a full schedule of Southern Conference games, UNCG will square off against cross-town rival North Carolina A&T in late November at the Coliseum.
    "The last two years we've played one of the top non-conference schedules in the country, which has helped to enhance our program's profile. This year is no different," said Dement. "We have games against teams from the ACC, Big East, SEC, a 2011 Final Four squad and challenging contests against in-state foes like UNC Pembroke, East Carolina and A&T. We intend for these games to ultimately help prepare us for success in Southern Conference play."
    
Spartans on TV
UNCG men's basketball will make seven appearances on national and regional television outlets during the 2011-12 season.
    The Spartans will appear four times on Fox Sports South, beginning with the season opener at Tennessee on Nov. 11. Other FSN South appearances include games at Florida State (Dec. 11), at Duke (Dec. 19) and at Miami, Fla. (Jan. 2).
    UNCG's game at Georgetown on Nov. 14 will appear on the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN), which serves seven states from Pennsylvania to North Carolina. MASN is available locally in the Piedmont Triad on DirecTV Ch. 640.
    The Spartans' home game with 2011 Final Four participant VCU on Dec. 22 will be shown on ESPN3, while a Feb. 4 contest at Furman is part of the SoCon Sports Network's season-long television package. The SoCon Sports Network consists of CSS, UNC-TV and ESPN3.
    More television game may be added during the season. Be sure to check with www.uncgspartans.com throughout the year.

Spartans on the Radio
UNCG men's basketball games will once again be broadcast on the Triad Sports Network for the 2011-12 season. Owned by Curtis Media Group, the Triad Sports Network is a trio of AM stations providing all sports programming with ESPN radio affiliation. UNCG will be utilizing 1320 WCOG-AM as its flagship station for the broadcasts. Additional coverage will be provided on a game-by-game availability through 1200 WSML-AM and 1230 WMFR-AM;
    WSML-AM's signal is based out of Graham, N.C., while WMFR-AM is based out of High Point. WZTK-FM, Curtis' FM-talk station, has a 100,000-watt signal that broadcasts nearly statewide and into parts of Virginia and Tennessee.
    Scott Pryzwansky will once again handle play-by-play duties for the Spartans.

About the Southern Conference
The Southern Conference, which began its 91st season of intercollegiate competition in 2011, is a national leader in emphasizing the development of the student-athlete and in helping to build lifelong leaders and role models.
    The Southern Conference has been on the forefront of innovation and originality in developing creative solutions to address issues facing intercollegiate athletics. From establishing the first conference basketball tournament (1921), tackling the issue of freshmen eligibility (1922), developing women's championships (1984), to becoming the first conference to install the three-point goal in basketball (1980), the Southern Conference has been a pioneer.
    The Southern Conference is the nation's fifth-oldest NCAA Division I collegiate athletic association. Only the Big Ten (1896), the Missouri Valley (1907), the Pacific 10 (1915) and the Southwestern Athletic (1920) conferences are older in terms of origination.