GREENSBORO, N.C. – The first place UNCG men's basketball team returns home to the Greensboro Coliseum Saturday afternoon for a Southern Conference showdown against second-place Furman. Game time is set for a rare 2 p.m. tip-off. 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 only at www.uncgspartans.com/radio with Parker Southern on the call.

The Spartans trail the hotly contested series by a 15-14 margin, including dropping the last two meetings. Furman knocked the Spartans out of the Southern Conference Tournament last season with an 80-64 loss in Asheville while also posting a 79-72 victory in Greenville. The Spartans won the game in Greensboro last season by a 67-66 margin and has won three straight at home against the Paladins.

Last year in three games, the Spartans connected on 42.7 percent (73-of-171) from the field and 31.8 percent (21-of-66) from 3-point land. Former Spartan Kayel Locke led the way against the Paladins at 16.7 points per game. Senior center R.J. White (Frisco, Texas/Frisco) averaged 12.3 points and 9.3 rebounds while shooting 48.3 percent (14-of-29) from the field. Senior guard Diante Baldwin (Greensboro, N.C./High Point Christian) added 10.0 points and 5.6 assists per game as he hit 12-of-13 (92.3%) from the free throw line. Sophomore guards Demetrius Troy (Raleigh, N.C./Word of God) and Francis Alonso (Malaga, Spain/Cushing Academy) added 9.7 and 8.0 points per game, respectively.

Furman connected on 45.2 percent (71-of-157) from the field and 38.6 percent (27-of-70) from 3-point land. Former Paladin Stephen Croone led the way with 21.3 points per game while Devin Sibley added 11.0 points per game. Kris Acox averaged 10.0 points and 7.7 rebounds per game while Geoff Beans added 9.0 points per game and shot 63.6 percent (7-of-11) from 3-point land.

UNCG enters Saturday's game with a 16-6 overall record and a 7-2 mark in Southern Conference play. The Spartans are alone in first place, holding a half game lead over Furman, Chattanooga and ETSU (6-2). The Spartans are 10-3 at home overall on the year and 4-1 in league play with wins over Chattanooga, Western Carolina, Mercer and The Citadel. UNCG is averaging 75.8 points per game while allowing 68.3 points per game. The Spartans are shooting 46.5 percent (598-of-1285) from the field and 39.6 percent (199-of-502) from 3-point land. Opponents are shooting 42.7 percent (512-of-1198) from the field and 35.9 percent (165-of-459) from distance.

Alonso leads the team in scoring at 14.1 points per game. He has hit a team-high 60 3-pointers, connecting on 45.5 percent. He also leads the team with a 90 percent clip from the free throw line (63-of-70). Baldwin is second on the team in scoring at 13.1 points per game. He leads the team with 96 assists and 42 steals. He is shooting 77.5 percent (55-of-71) from the free throw line.

White is third on the team in scoring at 11.2 points per game. White is coming off a career-high 26 points at Wofford. He is second on the team with 6.2 rebounds per game and is shooting 54.4 percent (99-of-182) from the field. Junior forward Marvin Smith (Richmond, Va./Fork Union Military Academy) chips in 9.9 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. Smith is second on the team with 35 made 3-pointers, hitting at 32.1 percent.

Troy chips in 8.4 points per game and is second on the team with 81 assists and third on the team with 33 made 3-pointers. Junior forward Jordy Kuiper (Groningen, Netherlands/Canaries Basketball Academy) adds 6.5 points and 5.4 rebounds per game while redshirt freshman forward James Dickey (Raleigh, N.C./Word of God) tallies 5.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.

Furman enters Saturday's game with a 13-8 overall record and a 6-2 mark in Southern Conference play. The Paladins have won three straight games with wins at home over ETSU, VMI and Western Carolina. Last game, they defeated the Catamounts by an impressive 58-37 margin. Furman is 5-6 on the road this season and 1-2 in road games in league play. The Paladins are averaging 74.3 points per game while allowing 64.3 points per game. Furman is shooting 47.5 percent (557-of-1173) from the field and 38 percent (182-of-479) from distance. Opponents are shooting 40.4 percent (468-of-1157) from the field and 29.1 percent (135-of-463) from 3-point land.

Devin Sibley leads the Paladins in scoring at 16.9 points per game. Sibley has hit a team-high 42 3-pointers, connecting at 43.8 percent. Kris Acox is second on the team in scoring at 12.8 points per game and leads the team with 7.1 rebounds per game. Acox is shooting 59.9 percent (118-of-197) from the field.

Daniel Fowler is third on the team in scoring at 11.0 points per game. Fowler is one of six players with 20 or more made 3-pointers, having hit 26 of 71 this season. John Davis chips in 8.0 points while Matt Rafferty has tallied 7.5 points per game.

-- UNCG --