ASHEVILLE, N.C. – After a one-year hiatus, the UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men's basketball team is back in the semifinals of the Ingles Southern Conference Championship Tournament presented by General Shale Brick.
It's the third time in the last four years that the Spartans (19-8 overall) are among the last four SoCon teams remaining in the tournament. Even though UNCG is a No. 1 seed, it will have its hands full against reigning SoCon tournament champion and fifth-seeded East Tennessee State (13-11 overall) Sunday at 5 p.m.
The game will be televised nationally on ESPNU.
Both teams traded double-digit road victories during the two regular season meetings.
A national audience will witness the two most winningest programs in the Southern Conference battle in a high-stakes rubber match. They have combined for 242 victories since the start of the -2016-17 campaign. UNCG has 123 wins, which is the second most by a Division I program in the state of North Carolina during that span. The Spartans trail Duke by two wins for top honors.
UNCG and ETSU have been the gold standard in this rugged league for quite some time. This will be the third SoCon tournament matchup between the Spartans and Bucs. They split a pair of championship meetings in 2017 (79-74 ETSU) and 2018 (62-47).
This is a high-stakes rubber match for the Spartans and the Bucs. The winner advances to Monday's championship game on ESPN.
UNCG has won three straight semifinal contests. In 2019 it beat Furman. The Spartans edged Wofford in 2017 and 2018. The Bucs are in the semifinals for the sixth consecutive season.
A Look At UNCG
UNCG is 23-21 all-time in the Southern Conference tournament after beating The Citadel, 80-72, in the quarterfinals on Saturday.
Isaiah Miller led four Spartans in double figures with 21 points. He also scored the 1,900th point of his amazing career during the game.
Hayden Koval and
Angelo Allegri had 13 points each and
A.J. McGinnis added 10 points. UNCG's bench scored 32 points. The Spartans finished the game on an 11-3 run. The Spartans made nine 3-pointers in the win over the Bulldogs. A win would give UNCG its fifth consecutive 20-win season.
A Look At ETSU
ETSU defeated Chattanooga, 63-53, in its quarterfinal contest. ETSU shot 54 percent in the second half (14-26) and made eight 3-pointers. The Mocs were held to 32 percent shooting (18-56). SoCon Freshman of the Year Damari Monsanto scored a game-high 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the Bucs.
David Sloan scored 12 of his 17 points in the second half. He also had six rebounds and four assists.
Ledarrius Brewer scored 11 and Ty Brewer added 10 points.
ETSU 71, UNCG 61 (Greensboro, N.C.): Miller scored 19 of his 24 points in the second half to lead UNCG.
Keyshaun Langley added nine points and Allegri scored eight points.
Mohammed Abdulsalam had seven rebounds. UNCG trailed 35-33 at intermission despite shooting 31 percent (9-for-29). ETSU opened the game making 10 of its first 16 shots to sprint to a 27-13 advantage. Leddarrius Brewer (18 points, 11 rebounds), Serrel Smith, Jr. (16 points) and Silas Adheke (nine points, 11 rebounds) led the Bucs.
UNCG 85, ETSU 74 (Johnson City, Tenn.): In scoring 21 of his points after intermission, Miller finished with a career-best 32 points on 13-of-19 shooting. He also added seven rebounds, seven assists, and four steals. UNCG used a 12-0 run in overtime to shake free of the Bucs.
Hunter added 16 points and made several crucial baskets during the second half.
Langley scored 14 points. His 3-pointer from the corner in overtime gave UNCG the lead for good, 75-72, with 2 minutes, 58 seconds remaining.
Koval contributed 13 points and three blocked shots in 24 minutes.
Abdulsalam pulled down nine rebounds and blocked two shots for UNCG. The game featured 19 lead changes and 16 ties. Ledarrius Brewer led three Bucs in double figures with 18 points, six rebounds and five assists. Vonnie Patterson (13 points) and David Sloan (12) also reached double digits. Adheke and Monsanto grabbed 12 rebounds each for the Bucs.
