GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG men's basketball team returns to action Saturday afternoon as the Spartans host former Southern Conference rival Elon in non-conference action. Game time is set for 2 p.m. at the Greensboro Coliseum. The game will be video stream in full HD for free on the SoCon Digital Network while also being radio broadcast on 1320 WCOG AM and the TuneIn App with Scott Pryzwansky and Darryl Kosciak providing the call.
The Spartans enter Saturday's game having won three out of their last four games with a 4-7 record on the year. The Spartans have picked up wins this season against Chowan, Presbyterian, Greensboro College and opened SoCon play with a road win at East Tennessee State. UNCG is averaging 70.5 points per game this season while shooting 44.3 percent (276-of-623) from the field and 35.6 percent (83-of-233) from long range.
Sophomore guard Tevon Saddler (Aberdeen, Md./St. Frances Academy) leads the team in scoring at 15.5 points per game. Saddler also leads the team with 43 assists, 21 steals and 68 free throw attempts. He is coming off his toughest game of the year, scoring just six points in 15 minutes against North Carolina before fouling out.
Junior forward Kayel Locke (Baltimore, Md./McDonogh) is second on the team in scoring at 12.6 points per game and second on the team grabbing 5.2 rebounds per game. Locke is shooting 49 percent (50-of-102) from the field and posted a 17-point performance Tuesday against North Carolina. Senior guard Nicholas Paulos (Salt Lake City, Utah/New Hampton School) is third on the team in scoring at 12.3 points per game while grabbing 4.0 rebounds. Paulos is shooting 47.3 percent (37-of-78) from 3-point land this season.
Redshirt sophomore center R.J. White (Frisco, Texas/Frisco) rounds out the Spartans averaging double figures in scoring at 11.7 points per game while leading the SoCon on the glass with 7.4 rebounds per game. White is shooting 54.5 percent (54-of-99) from the field this year.
Elon enters Saturday's game with a 5-5 overall record, including a 1-3 mark on the road this year. The Phoenix have picked up wins over Florida Atlantic, Morgan State, Miami, Virginia University of Lynchburg and Central Pennsylvania while falling to Charlotte, Northwestern, North Florida, Missouri and most recently Duke. Elon is averaging 76.3 points per game while shooting 43.3 percent (277-of-640) from the field and 36.2 percent (76-of-210) from 3-point land this year. Opponents are shooting just 26.9 percent (5-of-186) from long range and scoring only 69.3 points per game.
Luke Eddy leads the Phoenix in scoring at 13.8 points per game, despite starting just two of the first 10 games. Eddy leads the team with 23 assists and is shooting 57 percent (49-of-86) from the field and 48.5 percent (16-of-33) from long range. Tanner Samson is second on the team in scoring at 12.9 points per game and is shooting 41.9 percent (36-of-86) from long range. Elijah Bryant rounds out the Phoenix in double figures scoring at 10.5 points per game.
Saturday's game marks the 38th meeting between UNCG and Elon. The Spartans have dropped 10 straight to the Phoenix and trail the all-time series by a 24-13 margin. UNCG last picked up a win over Elon January 18, 2010 with a 63-55 victory at the Greensboro Coliseum.
Last year, the Spartans dropped a 72-68 contest at Elon before falling at home 81-68 to the Phoenix. UNCG connected on just 35.6 percent (48-of-135) from the field, 13.3 percent (4-of-30) from long range and just 66.7 percent (34-of-51) from the free throw line in both games last year. Elon conversely connected on 43.9 percent (50-of-114) from the field and hit 81.1 percent (43-of-53) from the free throw line.
Former Spartan Kyle Cain led the way against Elon last season, averaging 16.0 points and 8.0 rebounds while White chipped in 12.0 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. Saddler added 12.0 points while Locked contributed 10.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Elon was led by five seniors last year, all averaging double figures against UNCG. Riley Beaumont led the way with 13.5 points per game while Lucas Troutman chipped in 13.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.
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