GREENSBORO, N.C. - Head Coach Mike Jones and the UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men's basketball team begin its 2022-23 season with a matchup at home against Johnson & Wales Charlotte (JWU Charlotte) Monday night inside Fleming Gymnasium.
 
This game is part of a double feature, where following the men's contest the UNCG women's basketball team will also play in its home opener, hosting Guilford College at 7:30 p.m. in Fleming Gym.
 
All fans are encouraged to wear white for both games!
 
GAME INFO
Where: Fleming Gymnasium | Greensboro, N.C.
When: Monday, November 7 | 5 p.m.
Watch: (ESPN +) WATCH | Live Stats
Tickets: Purchase tickets here
PROMOTION: The first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive a free t-shirt!
 
LAST SEASON

•  The Spartans posted a 17-15 overall record, 9-9 in Southern Conference (SoCon) play. 
• UNCG opened the season strong with a 57-53 home victory over neighboring non-conference foe North Carolina A&T in front of 6,288 inside the Greensboro Coliseum.
• The Spartans claimed a key victory on the road at Chattanooga on February 17, defeating the 2021-22 SoCon champions, 73-70.
• UNCG boasted a 9-5 record inside the Greensboro Coliseum last season.
• After earning a share of fifth place in the SoCon with VMI, the Spartans earned a spot in the Roman College Basketball Invitational where they fell to Boston University, 71-68, March 20 in Daytona Beach, Florida.

RETURNING STARTING FIVE
The Spartans return four of five members of the starting five who played in the majority of last season's contests.
 
Mohammad Abdulsalam:

• Started all 31 games played last season in the post
• Averaging 6.3 points per game and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 53.6% from the field
• The graduate student is entering his fifth season as a Spartan and his third season as UNCG's starting center.

Kobe Langley:

• Started 18 of 32 games and tallied eleven double-figure scoring efforts in 2021-22
• The senior averaged 7.9 points per game, 2.9 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game last season in 26.5 minutes per game.
• Kobe is entering his fourth season at UNCG and second in the starting backcourt

Bas Leyte:

• Started 19 of 31 games for the Spartans last season, earning a spot in the starting five in the second half of the season
• The senior started in 18 of the team's final 19 games where he tallied nine double-figure scoring efforts
• Leyte posted 9.5 points per game with six rebounds while posted a field goal percentage of 53.5%

Dante Treacy:

• Started 29 of 32 contests last season where he posted 6.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game
• The senior looks to be in the mix as one of the Spartans point guards returning to the starting five

ADDED DEPTH
The Spartans return other key players who started contests for the Spartans or contributed off the bench last year
 
Keyshaun Langley:

• Started seven games for the Spartans last year and posted nine double-figure scoring efforts in the Spartans' backcourt
• Posted a season-best 21 points at home against Chattanooga January 20.
• The senior averaged 8.4 points per game with 2.3 assists while shooting 90.2% from the foul line.

Jalen White:

• Will add depth in the post after playing in 30 contests with two starts last year
• The senior notched a season-best 16 points and nine rebounds against N.C. Wesleyan November 24, 2021

Miles Jones:

• Also adds depth in the post
• The senior played in all 32 games last season, coming off the bench and posting 2.5 points and 1.9 rebounds per game
• Also shot 41.5 percent from the field.

KEY NEWCOMERS
UNCG brings in three transfers onto the team for this season that look to make an immediate impact on the court.
 
Akrum Ahemed: 

• Transferring from Canisius, the redshirt junior tallied eight double-figure scoring efforts for the Griffins last season and started seven contests
• Ahemed played in all 32 contests for Canisius
• Tallied 5.9 points per game and 2.2 rebounds

Mikael Brown-Jones: 

• The junior played 54 games in two seasons at VCU
• Last season, Brown-Jones played in 29 games with two starts in the post
• Posted 4.0 points and 2.6 rebounds per game

Keondre Kennedy: 

• The graduate student from UMBC started all 31 games played for the Retrievers last season
• Led the team in scoring (14.8) while shooting 49.6 percent from the field
• Kennedy shot 41.5 percent from three-point range last season and boast a career 45.1 percent shooter in his three seasons in the backcourt at UMBC.

SCOUTING JOHNSON & WALES CHARLOTTE

• Johnson & Wales Charlotte opened the season with a 124-74 victory over New Hope Collegiate on November 2.
• Fred Patterson and Anthoney Ray led the Wildcats with 19 points each with each posting a double-double.
• The Wildcats finished 17-12 last season, 9-1 in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association's (USCAA) Eastern Metro Athletic Conference.
• JWU Charlotte advanced to the finals of the USCAA Division II Small College National Championship after winning three games in the tournament. The Wildcats fell in the championship game to Southern Maine, 79-75.

SERIES HISTORY

• The Spartans and the Wildcats tangled for the first time in program history with UNCG defeating JWU Charlotte, 105-57, inside the Greensboro Coliseum on November 16, 2018.
• Both sides were set to meet each other December 21, 2021 inside Fleming Gymnasium, but the contest was canceled.
• Johnson & Wales Charlotte's program began in the 2010-2011 season.