Western Carolina (10-13, 6-5) at UNCG (4-17, 4-7)
Ramsey Center • Cullowhee, N.C.
Feb. 5, 2011 • Game 22 • 2 p.m.
Radio: WCOG 1320-AM (Scott Pryzwansky & Stan Lewter)
Internet: Catamount All Access (subscription required)
LiveStats: CatamountSports.com
FULL GAME NOTES (PDF FORMAT)
Storylines:
• Coming off its second overtime loss in the past three games, UNCG will look for its fifth win in the last seven contests as the Spartans travel to Western Carolina for a 2 p.m. game on Saturday afternoon in the Ramsey Center.
• The Spartans lead the all-time series against the Catamounts, 19-15, dating back to 1979. Despite this being the 12th conference game for UNCG this season, it has yet to face Western Carolina this season. The Spartans will play the Catamounts twice over the next six games. Last season, Western Carolina swept the season series from UNCG. The Catamounts won the first game at home, 79-69, before defeating UNCG on its home floor, 75-70.
• On Wednesday night, UNCG dropped its second overtime contest in the last three games as the Spartans fell to Appalachian State, 80-78. Aloysius Henry poured in a career-high 26 points to lead the Spartans, while Brandon Evans added 17 points and 11 rebounds for his second career double-double. UNCG had a chance to tie the game at the end of overtime, but Evans' shot wasn't able to fall from the free throw line.
• Western Carolina comes into the game on Saturday off of a 74-58 road win against Elon. It stopped a stretch that saw the Catamounts drop three of four. Prior to that, Western Carolina had won four games in a row, all of them being SoCon games. The Catamounts currently sit in second place in the North Division with a 6-5 league mark.
• Last Saturday, the Spartans won 91-72 on the road against Samford. Brandon Evans continued his recent hot streak with a game-high 26 points, including an 11-for-12 mark from the free throw line. Trevis Simpson also had a nice game for UNCG as he added 22 points on 6-9 shooting from the field.
• UNCG was winless in its first 15 outings this season after facing six ACC opponents and very tough teams in Richmond and VCU. The 0-15 start by the Spartans marked the worst start in school history, breaking the record set by the 1967-68 and 1968-69 teams, which both started 0-7.
• Sophomore Korey Van Dussen now leads the Spartans in scoring with 10.8 ppg thanks in part to his 33 point performance at Chattanooga. Brandon Evans is tops in the conference in 3-point percentage at 49.2% from behind the arc and would be third nationally, but he fails to reach to NCAA minimum of 2.5 3-point field goals made per game.
• UNCG now has five scorers who average double figure points. Van Dussen leads the team with 10.8 ppg, while Aloysius Henry (10.7 ppg), Trevis Simpson (10.5 ppg), Kyle Randall (10.5) and Brandon Evans (10.0) are also in double figures.
• The Spartans have had a considerably new look over the last two seasons. In fact, just one person in uniform today was in uniform in the 2008-09 opener at Charlotte – Elhanan Bone. Brandon Evans was sitting out after transferring from East Carolina and Darrius Sellers was injured.
The series:
UNCG vs. Western Carolina - UNCG leads 19-15
Feb. 21, 2008 W 74-62 Cullowheee, N.C.
March 3, 2008 W 60-55 Greensboro, N.C.
Jan. 8, 2009 L 75-80 Cullowhee, N.C.
Feb. 21, 2009 L 56-69 Greensboro, N.C.
Jan. 14, 2010 L 69-79 Cullowhee, N.C.
Feb. 15, 2010 L 70-75 Greensboro, N.C. (Colis.)
Breaking it all down:
UNCG
Offense (National Rank)
Points: 71.5 (115)
Rebounds: 12.0 (126)
Assists: 12.3 (231)
FG%: 42.4% (247)
FT%: 67.3% (217)
3P%: 37.6% (57)
Defense (Rank)
Points: 82.6 (342)
Rebounds: 21.5 (306)
Assists: 15.4 (322)
FG%: 49.1% (342)
FT%: 70.2% (244)
3P%: 38.6% (332)
Western Carolina
Offense (National Rank)
Points: 67.6 (229)
Rebounds: 13.3 (44)
Assists: 12.6 (206)
FG%: 42.0% (265)
FT%: 63.9% (304)
3P%: 31.1% (290)
Defense (Rank)
Points: 68.3 (192)
Rebounds: 23.7 (183)
Assists: 12.9 (189)
FG%: 44.8% (267)
FT%: 66.4% (81)
3P%: 29.9% (23)
