MACON, Ga. – The UNCG men's basketball team continues its southern swing Saturday afternoon as the Spartans travel to Macon, Ga., to take on the Mercer Bears. Game time is set for 4:30 p.m. at Hawkins Arena and will be broadcast on ESPN3 and the ESPN App with Todd Wilson and Kevin Canevari on the call. Additionally, the game will be broadcast on 1320 WCOG AM and online via Tune In with Paul Roper on the call.
The Spartans are 3-1 in their last four games entering Saturday afternoon with wins over VMI, Samford and most recently The Citadel. The Spartans' 3-1 record is the second-best record in the Southern Conference over the last four games, trailing only first-place Chattanooga (4-0). During the four-game stretch, the Spartans are averaging 83.2 points per game and allowing 78.5 points per game.
Freshman Francis Alonso (Malaga, Spain/Cushing Academy) leads the way in the four games, averaging 18.5 points per game while shooting 51.2 percent (22-of-43) from the field and 85.7 percent (18-of-21) from the free throw line. Senior forward Kayel Locke (Baltimore Md./McDonogh) is averaging 16.5 points and 6.0 rebounds while junior guard Diante Baldwin (Greensboro, N.C./High Point Christian) is averaging 13.3 points and 6.0 assists per game. Sophomore forward Marvin Smith (Richmond, Va./Fork Union Military Academy) adds 11.8 points and 7.0 rebounds while junior center R.J. White (Frisco, Texas/Frisco) chips in 11.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.
Saturday's game marks just the sixth meeting all-tine between UNCG and Mercer and just the third meeting at the NCAA Division I level. The teams met three times in the 1980's at the NCAA Division III level with Mercer claiming victories in 1986 (64-45), 1982 (63-52) and 1981 (88-65).
Last season in Mercer's first year in the Southern Conference, the Spartans dropped both games of the season series to the Bears. Mercer picked up a 76-55 victory at the Greensboro Coliseum Jan. 3 before the teams battled Feb. 14 in Macon with the Bears posting a hard fought 55-50 victory over UNCG. The Spartans were held to 42.3 percent (44-of-104) from the field shooting and 33.3 percent (8-of-24) from 3-point land. Mercer connected on 48.5 percent (46-of-95) shooting from the field and 45.2 percent (14-of-31) from distance.
White averaged 11.5 points per game against Mercer, shooting 66.7 percent (10-of-15) from the field while Locke added 9.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. The top three scorers for Mercer last year in the series are no longer part of the program as Darious Moten (13.5 pts), Ike Nwamu (11.5) and Jibri Bryan (10.5) led the Bears. Phillip Leonard is the top-returning scorer in the series after averaging 10.0 points per game against UNCG.
The Spartans enter Saturday's game with an 8-13 overall record and a 4-4 mark in Southern Conference play. The Spartans are in sixth place all along in league play, going 3-1 over the last four games. UNCG is averaging 72.9 points per game while allowing 75.0 points per game. The Spartans are shooting 44.2 percent (555-of-1255) from the field and 35.9 percent (184-of-512) from 3-point land.
All five Spartan starters are averaging double figures this year. Alonso leads the team in scoring at 12.9 points per game and leads the team with 53 3-pointers, shooting 40.2 percent from distance. Locke is second on the team in scoring at 12.3 points per game and second on the glass with 5.3 rebounds per game. He is coming off a 30-point performance against The Citadel.
White is third on the team in scoring at 12.1 points per game while leading the team and second in the SoCon on the glass with 7.3 rebounds per game. He leads the league shooting 63.1 percent (101-of-160) from the field. Baldwin is fourth on the team in scoring at 11.0 points per game and leads the team with 100 assists. Smith rounds out the double figure scorers at 10.2 points per game while adding 5.2 rebounds per game.
Mercer enters Saturday's game with a 15-6 overall record and a 5-3 mark in Southern Conference play. The Bears are 9-0 this season at home at Hawkins Arena. Mercer is averaging 71.6 points per game while holding opponents to just 65.2 points per game. The 65.2 points per game is the second best scoring defense in the SoCon this year. The Bears are shooting 45.2 percent (536-of-1185) from the field and 33.3 percent (122-of-366) from 3-point land.
Jestin Lewis leads three Bears in double figures at 13.0 points per game. Lewis leads the team with 40 3-pointers, hitting 34.5 percent from 3-point land. Stephon Jelks is second on the team in scoring at 11.9 points per game. Jelks leads the SoCon on the glass, grabbing 9.1 rebounds per game. He also has connected on 29 3-pointers. Leonard rounds out the Bears in double figures at 10.3 points per game. Leonard leads the team with 101 assists and leads the team with 119 free throws attempted.
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