GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG men's basketball team will put their five-game winning streak on the line Saturday as the Spartans host The Citadel in Southern Conference action. Game time is set for 5 p.m. at the Greensboro Coliseum. The game will be broadcast on ESPN3 and the ESPN App with Pete Yanity and Darryl Kosciak on the call. Additionally, the game will be radio streamed on the TuneIn App and online at www.uncgspartans.com/radio with Parker Southern on the call.
The Spartans enter the game sitting in first place in the SoCon with a 15-5 overall record and a 6-1 mark in league play, a half game in front of Chattanooga. The 15-5 start is the second-best start in program history and the best start since the 1994-95 season. Additionally, the Spartans' 6-1 start is the best ever start for UNCG in SoCon play and the second-best start in conference action at the NCAA Division I level, trailing the 1995-96 team which opened Big South play 7-0. The 15 wins already matches last year's win total and ranks eighth most wins in program history at the NCAA Division I level.
UNCG is riding a five-game winning streak coming into Saturday's game with wins over Chattanooga, Western Carolina, ETSU, VMI an most recently a thrilling, come-from-behind win over Mercer Thursday night. This marks the second winning streak of at least five games this year as UNCG posted a six-game stretch from Nov. 19-Dec. 5 in non-conference play. The Spartans have never recorded two winning streaks of six games in a single season in program history.
The Spartans are coming off a stunning last-second victory over Mercer 68-66 Thursday night. UNCG closed the game on a 15-5 run over the final 2:49 of the game to steal the victory. Senior guard Diante Baldwin (Greensboro, N.C./High Point Christian) scored five of his 13 points in the final 46 seconds, including the game-winning 3-pointer with 4.1 seconds remaining.
Baldwin became the 23rd member of the 1,000-career point club in UNCG men's basketball history during the game. He enters Saturday's game with 1,006 career points. He ranks second on the team this year with 12.6 points per game while leading the program with 85 assists and 40 steals. He is shooting 40 percent (24-of-60) from the field and 77 percent (47-of-61) from the free throw line.
Sophomore guard Francis Alonso (Malaga, Spain/Cushing Academy) has been one of the top players in the SoCon this season and has been on a torrid pace during the five-game winning streak. Alonso is averaging 22.2 points per game over the last five contests, scoring over 20 points in four of the games, including a 26-point effort Thursday night. He is shooting 61.8 percent (34-of-55) from the field, 53.1 percent (17-of-32) from 3-point land and 92.9 percent (26-of-28) from the free throw line. On the year, Alonso leads the team and ranks eighth in the SoCon in scoring at 14.6 points per game and leads the team with 58 made 3-pointers.
Senior center R.J. White (Frisco, Texas/Frisco) is third on the team in scoring at 10.4 points per game. White ranks second on the team rebounding at 6.2 caroms per game. He is shooting 53.5 percent (84-of-157) from the free throw line. Junior forward Marvin Smith (Richmond, Va./Fork Union Military Academy) rounds out the double figure scorers at 10.2 points per game. Smith ranks second on the team with 33 3-pointers and is shooting 75.6 percent (31-of-41) from the free throw line.
Sophomore guard Demetrius Troy (Raleigh, N.C./Word of God) adds 85 points per game and ranks second on the team with 74 assists. Junior forward Jordy Kuiper (Groningen, Netherlands/Canaries Basketball Academy) chips in 6.7 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, shooting 57.6 percent (57-of-99) from the field. Redshirt freshman forward James Dickey (Raleigh, N.C./Word of God) leads the team with 6.5 rebounds per game.
The Citadel enters Saturday's game with a 9-12 overall record and a 2-6 mark in Southern Conference play. The Bulldogs have dropped three straight games with losses at Chattanooga, Samford and at Western Carolina Thursday night. The Citadel is just 2-8 on the road this season with its lone two victories coming at Stetson and Wofford. The Bulldogs lead the NCAA Division I in scoring at 95.6 points per game but allow the most points against in the country with 98.8 points per game.
Preston Parks leads the Bulldogs in scoring despite only starting one game on the year. Parks is averaging 16.4 points per game and is tied for second on the team with 76 assists. He leads the team with 46 made 3-pointers, hitting at 32.4 percent. Forward Zane Najdawi is second on the team in scoring at 16.1 points per game and leads the team with 7.5 rebounds per game. Najdawi has gone to the free throw line a team-high 131 times, hitting at 84.7 percent.
Qauyson Williams is third on the team in scoring at 10.4 points per game. Williams ranks second on the team with 44 made 3-pointers, hitting on 36.1 percent. Kaelon Harris adds 9.8 points per game while Frankie Johnson chips in 9.1 rebounds per game. The Citadel has nine players averaging at least 5.0 points per game this season.
Saturday's game marks the 31st meeting all-time between UNCG and The Citadel. The Spartans lead the all-time series by a 21-9 margin, including four straight wins in the series. UNCG is looking to sweep the regular season series for the second straight year after posting a 102-95 win on the road and a 92-63 victory at the Greensboro Coliseum last year. Earlier this season, the Spartans travelled to Charleston and produced a 95-87 victory. UNCG connected on 57.6 percent (34-of-59) from the field and 57.9 percent (11-of-19) from 3-point land in the victory. The Spartans held The Citadel to just 32.9 percent (25-of-76) shooting from the field and 29.4 percent (10-of-34) from deep.
Five players scored in double figures for the Spartans. Baldwin led the way with 25 points, eight assists, five rebounds and three steals. He connected on 8-of-15 from the field and 7-of-8 from the free throw line. Troy scored a career-high 18 points and dished out six assists as he was 4-of-5 from 3-point land. Smith added 17 points and eight rebounds, including two 3-points, while Alonso added 11 points and Dickey chipped in 10 points and eight rebounds. Parks led The Citadel with 32 points as he hit 10-of-21 from the field and 8-of-10 from the free throw line. Najdawi added 13 points and eight rebounds while Sledge and Kaelon Harris added 12 points each.
-- UNCG --
