SPARTAN ESSENTIALS
Who: The Citadel (10-12, 4-7)
Where: Greensboro Coliseum | Greensboro, N.C..
When: Thursday, February 10, 2022 | 7 p.m. 
Watch (ESPN+) | Live Stats | Listen
Game Notes: UNCG | The Citadel


GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men's basketball team returned to its defensive and rebounding roots during a memorable road trip that produced a pair of much-needed victories over Furman and Western Carolina.
 
The Spartans were splendid in each contest.
 

• In two road wins last week, UNCG allowed an average of 52.5 points per game.
• UNCG held Furman and Western Carolina to 11-for-52 from 3-point distance (21.1 percent).
• They finished with at least 40 rebounds in each game.
• Held Western Carolina to 19 points in the first half and Furman to 22 points in the opening half.

 
Now, the trick is to do it again as the relentless Southern Conference schedule brings The Citadel to town for a critical contest on Thursday night at 7 p.m. inside of the Greensboro Coliseum.
 
This contest will be UNCG's Equality and Inclusion Night sponsored by the DEI Alliance, which is made up of 12 minority and social justice coaching organizations. They are coordinating with college basketball programs across the country to ask coaches and staff to wear all black on the sidelines as well as the "equal sign" lapel pin created to symbolize equality.
 
This is a fascinating conflict as it matches the SoCon's highest scoring offense (79.7 points per game) against the conference's stingiest scoring defense in UNCG. The Spartans grudgingly allow 64.2 points per outing.
 
The Citadel snapped a 16-game losing streak to UNCG when the teams last met on Jan. 13 in Charleston. It was literally a tale of two halves. UNCG allowed The Citadel to score 18 points in the first half. The Citadel punctured UNCG's proud defense for 56 points in the second half.
 
"We played really well in one half against them and they played really well in one half against us," UNCG head coach Mike Jones said of The Citadel. "We've got to figure out how to play 40 minutes against a really good team that's explosive scoring the ball."
 
Last Time Out

• Kaleb Hunter scored 15 points to lift UNCG to a 68-49 victory over Western Carolina on Monday night.
• Hayden Brown's 35 points and 11 rebounds carried The Citadel to a 107-93 win over Samford last Saturday at home.

 
Series History

• UNCG leads 33-10.

 
A Look At UNCG

• UNCG held its largest lead of the season in any game at 25 points (54-29) with 10:41 remaining against Western Carolina.
• Also, UNCG's 17-point halftime edge over Western Carolina was the biggest of the season.
• Kobe Langley's dunk against Western Carolina was the No. 3 play on SportsCenter Top 10.
• De'Monte Buckingham scored all 14 of his points against Western Carolina in the second half.
• In both road games last week, Buckingham scored all 26 of his points after intermission.
• Buckingham leads UNCG in scoring (13.6 points per game), which is 18th in the SoCon.
• Buckingham is seventh in 3-point field goal percentage and eighth in rebounding and 3-pointers made per game.
• Bas Leyte had 10 rebounds in each game of the road trip to tie his career-high.
• Leyte is second in the SoCon in offensive rebounds per game (2.2) and 13th in rebounds per game (6.0).
• Kaleb Hunter averaged 12.5 points per game against Furman and Western Carolina.
• Kobe Langley is fifth in the conference in steals per game (1.6) and 14th in assists per game (3.0).
• UNCG has held 12 opponents below 60 points this season.

 
A Look At The Citadel

• In the win over Samford, Jason Roche made nine 3-pointers and finished with 29 points.
• Brown is second in the SoCon in scoring (19.0) and rebounding (8.1).
• Roche's 14.5 points per game average is 13th in the SoCon.
• Stephen Clark chips in 11.1 points per game for the Bulldogs.
• Tyler Moffe and Clark have combined for 160 assists.
• They are sixth and seventh, respectively in the SoCon in assists per game.
• Roche leads the SoCon in 3-pointers made per game (4.0).
• Clark leads the conference in blocked shots per game (2.5).
• The Citadel is 3-7 in away games this season.
• One of its road wins was a season-opening triumph at Pittsburgh.

 
Up Next

• UNCG hosts Mercer on Sunday, February 13 at 3 p.m.
• It's the Ingles/Nexstar Game of the Week with Pete Yanity and Dean Keener on the call.
• The game will be broadcast live on television in the following markets WMYT/My 12 (Charlotte), WWCW/The CW Virginia (Lynchburg/Roanoke), and WYCW/The CW62 (Greenville/Spartanburg/Asheville).