SPARTAN ESSENTIALS
Who: Furman (9-6, 1-1)
Where: Greensboro Coliseum | Greensboro, N.C.
When: Wednesday, January 5, 2022 | 7 p.m. 
Watch (ESPN News) | Live Stats | Listen
Game Notes: UNCG | Furman
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GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men's basketball team is tingling with excitement to begin Southern Conference (SoCon) competition especially after having its first two scheduled league contests postponed.
 
UNCG, 8-4 overall under first-year head coach Mike Jones, will hit the floor for the first time in 20 days when it welcomes Furman to belatedly open Southern Conference competition Wednesday at the Greensboro Coliseum in a nationally-televised contest on ESPN News. The first 2,000 fans will receive a gold rally towel sponsored by Pepsi. 
 
The Spartans' last three games against Johnson & Wales, Western Carolina, and Wofford were postponed, which created the unexpected gap in UNCG's schedule. After stuffing nine games into a 23-day period in November, UNCG played three road games during a six-day stretch in December.
 
Last Time Out

• In beating UMBC, 62-51, on Thursday, Dec. 15, the Spartans finished the contest by scoring 18 of the game's final 22 points over the last 9:24.
• Jalen Slawson led Furman with 20 points, seven rebounds, five assists, two blocks and one steal during a 76-67 road loss to VMI this past Saturday.

 
A Look At UNCG

• UNCG is 7-3 in its last 10 SoCon openers.
• The Spartans are 5-0 at home this season.
• In all eight UNCG victories this season, it has limited the opposition to fewer than 70 points.
• In its four losses, opponents have scored more than 70 points against UNCG.
• The Spartans are 7-1 overall when they have held teams below 45 percent shooting from the field and 35 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
• UNCG is seventh nationally in rebounding margin (10.9) and 45th in rebounds per game (40.0).
• UNCG graduate student De'Monte Buckingham leads UNCG in scoring (13.4) and rebounding (7.8).
• Buckingham is third in the Southern Conference in defensive rebounding (6.2), fifth in rebounding, sixth in free-throw percentage (86.1), eighth in 3-point field goal percentage (42.9) and is tied for 10th in 3-pointers made per game (2.0).
• He is 57th nationally in free throw percentage and defensive rebounds per game (6.17) as well as 95th in rebounds per game.
• UNCG leads the conference in rebounding margin (+10.9) and defensive rebounding percentage (77.3).
• The Spartans are also second in scoring defense (64.1), third in field goal percentage defense (39.4), and fourth in 3-point field goal defense (30.7).

 
A Look At Furman

• The Paladins are 3-5 on the road this season.
• Furman has dropped four straight road games.
• One of Furman's road victories this season was an 80-72 overtime triumph at Louisville.
• Furman is second in the SoCon in scoring offense (79.3) and third in field goal percentage (46.7).
• The Paladins lead the conference in 3-point field goal percentage (38.9).
• Furman is second in the SoCon blocked shots (3.2), assists (18.1), and steals (8.4).
• The Paladins feature three of the top 10 scorers in the SoCon: Alex Hunter (16.5 points per game, sixth), Jalen Slawson (16.2, seventh), and Mike Bothwell (15.1, ninth).
• Slawson leads the conference in steals (2.1), is third in rebounding (8.3) and sixth in assists (4.1).
• Hunter is third in the SoCon in 3-pointers made per game (3.7) and Conley Garrison is ninth (2.2).
• The Paladins were picked second in the SoCon preseason poll.

 
Series History

• UNCG won the last matchup, 64-58, on Feb. 10, 2021, at the Greensboro Coliseum.
• The teams split last year's season series with each winning at home during a three-day span.
• UNCG leads the all-time series, 21-19.
• UNCG has won seven of the last 10 matchups against Furman.
• Furman's last three victories over UNCG have been by double digits.

 
Up Next

• UNCG begins a three-game road trip with a visit to VMI on Saturday, Jan. 8 at 1 p.m.