GREENSBORO, N.C. – The 2016-17 UNCG men's basketball season opens Friday night as the Spartans welcome in No. 7 Virginia to the Greensboro Coliseum. This marks the first time in program history that UNCG has hosted a nationally ranked team for a season opener. The game is set for a 7 p.m. tip-off and will be broadcast on ESPN3 and the ESPN App with Scott Pryzwansky and Darryl Kosciak on the call. Additionally, the game will be radio streamed via TuneIn with Parker Southern on the call.
Friday's game also surrounds Veterans Day and UNCG will honor military members throughout the night. Active military members and veterans who bring their Veteran/military IDs to the Greensboro Coliseum box office will receive a free ticket for them and their immediate family (up to four tickets). The first 1,000 UNCG students in attendance will receive a free UNCG Stars and Stripes t-shirt. Additionally, UNCG alum and Team USA silver medalist at the 2016 Rio Olympics Paul Chelimo will be honored at the game for his accomplishments this summer on the track.
Friday's game marks the first-ever meeting between UNCG and Virginia as it is the beginning of a home-and-home series. The Spartans will return to Charlottesville during the 2017-18 season. The game is the 57th meeting all-time for the Spartans against a program from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and marks the 14th straight year with at least one ACC game on the schedule.
The Spartans were selected to finish tied for fifth overall in the Southern Conference preseason poll selected by league head coaches. The Spartans received 50 total votes, tying Furman for fifth place overall after posting a 15-19 record last season and a 10-8 mark in SoCon play. UNCG advanced to the second round of the College Basketball Invitational, including winning its first-ever postseason contest with a home win over Houston Baptist.
The Spartans return four starters from last season's team along with 75.9 percent of its scoring from last year and 78.8 percent of its rebounding. The Spartans are the only team in the SoCon to return three full-year players who averaged double figures scoring on the year.
Sophomore guard Francis Alonso (Malaga, Spain/Cushing Academy) led the team in scoring last year at 13.0 points per game, breaking the UNCG freshmen scoring record with 443 total points. Alonso led the team with 85 3-pointers made, connecting on 39.5 percent from distance. He had a stellar summer as well, captaining the Spain U20 team to the FIBA European Championships, being selected as one of the top five players in the entire tournament.
Senior center R.J. White (Frisco, Texas/Frisco) was third on the team in scoring at 12.2 points per game and led the team on the glass at 6.9 rebounds per game. White finished 11th in all of NCAA Division I in field goal percentage at 61.6 (167-of-271) shooting.
Senior guard Diante Baldwin (Greensboro, N.C./High Point Christian) rounds out the returning Spartans who averaged double figures at 11.6 points per game. Baldwin led the team with 169 assists and 50 steals while playing a team-high 33.2 minutes per game. He was the only player in the league to be ranked it the top 20 in scoring and rebounding while also ranking in the top five in assists and steals. Junior forward Marvin Smith (Richmond, Va./Fork Union Military Academy) chipped in 9.4 points and 5.5 rebounds per game last year.
Virginia enters Friday's game ranked No. 7 in the country after posting a 29-8 overall record last year, including an Elite 8 appearance. The Cavaliers were selected to finish third overall in the Atlantic Coast Conference in the preseason poll. Virginia led the ACC last season in team defense, allowing just 60.1 points per game while leading the conference in 3-point shooting at 40.3 percent (224-of-556) from distance.
Virginia lost its top two scorers from last season in Malcolm Brogdon and Anthony Gill. The Cavaliers are led by preseason All-ACC First Team selection London Perrantes. He was third on the team in scoring at 11.0 points per game and led the team with 153 assists. He connected on 48.8 percent (78-of-160) from 3-point land and 80.3 percent (61-of-76) from the free throw line.
Isaiah Wilkins started 21 games for Virginia last year and averaged 4.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. Devon Hall started 20 games last season and averaged 4.4 points and 74 assists.
-- UNCG --
