Who	UNCG (0-0) vs. Little Rock (1-0)
When	Friday, November 27, 7 p.m.
Where	KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, Ky.
Series History	First Meeting
Watch	ESPN3 (Don Russell & Jeff Greer)
Live Stats	FOLLOW HERE
Listen Live	TUNEIN RADIO
Game Notes	UNCG / Little Rock

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GREENSBORO, N.C. – Game day has finally arrived for the UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men's basketball team. It's been a long time coming, but the Spartans will finally raise the curtain on their much-anticipated 2020-21 season.
 
Those sacred rituals of gameday shootarounds, pregame meals, and film sessions are back.
 
The excitement level is through the roof. Players are hyped.
 
Without any preseason scrimmages against outside competition to survey their squad to identify the gaps, coaches are nervous.
 
The long hours in the weight room getting stronger, on the field running sprints, and in the gym improving aspects of their game have led to this moment for the Spartans, who begin their season with an immediate test against Little Rock.
 
Scheduling during the COVID-19 pandemic was challenging especially after the NCAA moved the start of the season to Nov. 25 and several high-profile preseason events crumbled.
 
Meanwhile, UNCG found a competitive field of programs in Louisville and it couldn't be any happier with the level of competition it will face to begin the season. Four of the five teams UNCG will play won at least 20 games last season: Little Rock, Winthrop, Duquesne, and Louisville. Prairie View A&M finished with 19 victories.
 
Little Rock has the benefit of having played a game. It defeated Prairie View A&M, 64-59, Wednesday afternoon. This game between UNCG and Little Rock is part of the Wade Houston Classic.
 
This matchup is part of a 16-game, nine-day season-opening event at Louisville's KFC Yum! Center.
 
Fastbreak Five And One!

• This is the first meeting in program history between UNCG and Little Rock.
• UNCG and Little Rock were preseason picks to win their respective conferences.
• Little Rock (No. 4) and UNCG (No. 12) are ranked in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major preseason top 25 poll.
• UNCG is 5-3 in season openers under Wes Miller.  
• UNCG led the nation in turnover margin (16.4) last season.
• The Spartans have won 53.8 percent of their games (56 out of 104) in the last four years by double digits.

 
Welcome Back All-Conference Honorees

• SoCon Player and Defensive Player of the Year Isaiah Miller.
• SoCon Freshman of the Year Keyshaun Langley.

 
Defense for Dessert

• The Spartans led the SoCon in field goal percentage defense (42.2), blocked shots per game (4.3), steals (9.3) and offensive rebounds (12.9) during the 2019-20 season.
• They were also second in the conference scoring defense (63.1) and scoring margin.
• Nationally, UNCG led the nation in turnover margin (6.4).
• The Spartans were sixth nationally in steals per game (9.3), steals (299), and turnovers forced (18.03). 

 
 
A Quick Glance at Little Rock

• Four Trojans finished in double figures in the win over PVAM, led by 17 points each from Markquis Nowell and Nikola Maric.
• Ruot Monyyong registering his 17^th career double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
• The Trojans made 23-of-29 from the charity stripe (79.3%), including 17-of-18 (94.4%) in the second half against PVAM. Little Rock held a 29-4 edge in free throws as it utilized its inside game.

 
Up Next

• UNCG meets Winthrop on Sunday, Nov. 29 at 8:30 p.m.