GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men's basketball team will continue The Southern Conference (SoCon) slate by hosting the Western Carolina Catamounts on Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. inside Bodford Arena. The Spartans will then travel to Greenville, South Carolina, to face the Furman Paladins on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. in Timmons Arena on ESPN2.  
 
Wedneday's contest was originally scheduled to be played in the First Horizon Coliseum at 7:00 p.m. but was moved to campus inside Bodford Arena at 6:00 p.m. due to inclement weather.
 
UNCG holds the three-game edge in the all-time series against Western Carolina at 35-32. The Spartans are 18-1 in the last 19 meetings with the Catamounts and earned both matchups last season with an 83-55 victory in Cullowhee on Jan. 18, 2025, and a 74-70 win on Feb. 8, 2025, in Greensboro.
 
The Spartans lead the all-time series against the Paladins, 28-21. Furman earned the two teams' previous meeting this season in Greensboro on Friday, Jan. 23, 89-66, in Bodford Arena.
 

Game 24: UNC Greensboro (8-15, 4-6 SoCon) vs Western Carolina (8-13, 4-6 SoCon)
Date	Wednesday, Feb. 4
Time	6:00 p.m.
Location	Greensboro, N.C. (Bodford Arena)
Tickets	Click here to purchase tickets
Coverage	Live Stats: Live Stats | Video: ESPN+
Promotion	"Blue Collar Night", Blue Out: Wear Blue, SAAC Game
Social Media	Twitter: @UNCGBasketball | Instagram: @uncgbasketball | Facebook: UNCGmbb

 

Game 25: UNC Greensboro (8-15, 4-6 SoCon) at Furman (16-7, 7-3 SoCon)
Date	Sunday, Feb. 8
Time	1:00 p.m.
Location	Greenville, S.C. (Timmons Arena)
Tickets	Click here to purchase tickets
Coverage	Live Stats: Live Stats | Video: ESPN2
Social Media	Twitter: @UNCGBasketball | Instagram: @uncgbasketball | Facebook: UNCGmbb

 
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE SPARTANS

• UNCG dropped both its road contest last week at Mercer, 95-77, on Thursday, Jan. 29 and at The Citadel in overtime on Saturday, Jan. 31, 71-66.
• Against The Citadel, KJ Younger paced the game with 24 points, while Justin Neely was the only other Spartan to register double figures.
• Neely recorded his 14th double-double of the season and 21^st of his career with 19 points and 13 rebounds.
• In the team's game against Mercer, Younger scored a career-best 30 points, which is the most points by a Spartan since Keyshaun Langley scored 30 and Mikeal Brown-Jones registered 39 points twice, all in 2024.

SCOUTING THE SPARTANS

• UNCG comes into the week with an 8-15 overall record and 4-6 mark in the SoCon to stand in a three-way tie with Western Carolina and Samford for sixth in the conference standings.
• The Spartans are pacing the SoCon in free throws made per game (16.7).
• They are second in free throw attempts per game (24.3) and third in three-point percentage (34.6).
• Neely leads the conference and is third nationally with 14 double-doubles this season. He also paces the league in rebounds (271), defensive rebounds per game (9.09) and rebounds per game (11.8).
• His 271 boards and 9.09 defensive rebounds per game rank first nationally, while his 11.8 rebounds per game puts him at second in the country.
• Neely is also second in the SoCon in free throws (131).
• Neely recorded a career-best 22 rebounds against VMI on Jan. 21. According to UNCG records, the last time a Spartan collected 20 or more rebounds in a single game was James Dickey on March 15, 2020, when he recorded 20 boards against Mercer. Neely's 22 rebounds are the most in a single game in UNCG's Division I era.
• Neely now joins elite company with 20 or more boards in a single game: Tom Nelson (27), Bruce (25), Kyle Hines (21) and Dickey (20).
• Neely (16.6), Younger (14.8) and Donald Whitehead Jr. (11.4) round out the Spartans averaging double-figure points.
• Neely (2.7) and Whitehead Jr. (2.7) are leading the team in assists per game.  
• Valentino Pinedo is leading the Spartans with 20 blocks this season.
• Neely was voted SoCon Player of the Week on Nov. 24 after averaging a double-double with 17.5 points and 12.5 rebounds per game in a 1-1 week in Florida.
• The 2025-26 roster features three returners and 11 newcomers.
• Six of the 14 student-athletes are international, which is the largest international class under fifth-year Head Coach Mike Jones.
• The Spartans will play 10 games in Bodford Arena and four games in the First Horizon Coliseum this season.
• The 2024-25 season was the eighth year out of nine with 20 or more wins for the Spartans after going 20-12 overall and 13-5 in the SoCon.
• Jones achieved his third year out of four winning 20 or more games last season with the Spartans.

SCOUTING THE CATAMOUNTS

• Western Carolina comes to Greensboro with an 8-13 overall record and 4-6 mark in the SoCon, tied for sixth place with UNCG and Samford in the league standings.
• The Catamounts went 1-1 last week after earning a 90-88 win at ETSU on Thursday, Jan. 29, but fell to Samford on Sunday, Feb. 1, 88-74 in Cullowhee.
• Western Carolina is leading the SoCon and 13^th nationally with a 13.90 offensive rebounds per game average.
• The team is second in the SoCon in bench points per game (26.43), rebound margin (5.1) and rebounds per game (39.10).
• Samuel Dada is second in the conference with a 3.05 offensive rebounds per game average.
• Cord Stansberry (13.9), Marcus Kell (13.1) and Julien Soumaoro (11.9) are leading the team in double-figure scoring.
• Soumaoro stands out from behind the arc, averaging 2.4 three-pointers per game and also leads the team averaging 0.9 steals per game.
• Tidjiane Dioumassi is pacing the team with a 3.0 assists per game average.
• Abdulai Fanta Kabba leads the Catamounts with 20 blocks this year.
• The Catamounts were picked to finish seventh in the SoCon Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• Kell was selected to the Preseason All-Conference Team ahead of the 2025-26 season.
• Head Coach Tim Craft is in his second season at the helm of the Western Carolina men's basketball program.

SCOUTING THE PALADINS

• Furman comes into the week 16-7 overall and 7-3 in the SoCon to stand at second in the conference standings.
• The Paladins are on a three-game winning streak that started with their win over UNCG on Jan. 23.
• Furman most recently collected home wins over Samford, 78-73, on Thursday, Jan. 29 and Chattanooga, 75-70, on Sunday, Feb. 1.
• The Paladins are leading the SoCon in assists per game (16.7), field goal percentage (55.6), rebound margin (6.2), defensive rebounds per game (27.26) and three-point percentage defense (31.3).
• The team is second in the league in fast break points (10.96), field goal percentage defense (42.0) and scoring defense (70.2).
• Alex Wilkins leads the SoCon in field goal attempts (331) and field goals (153). He is second in assists (118), assists per game (5.1) and points (429).
• Charles Johnston is second in the conference with a 7.13 defensive rebounds per game average.
• The Paladins were voted to finish second in the 2025-26 SoCon Preseason Coaches' Poll, earning five first-place votes.
• Cooper Bowser and Tom House were voted to the 2025-26 Preseason All-Conference Team.
• Furman finished the 2024-25 season 25-10 overall and 11-7 in the SoCon. The Paladins lost to Wofford in the 2025 Championship game, but earned a bid into the 2025 National Invitation Tournament, where they fell to North Texas in the first round.
• Furman will travel to ETSU to take on the Bucs on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. in Johnson City before welcoming the Spartans on Sunday.

FLEMING GYMNASIUM RENAMED BODFORD ARENA

• On Saturday, Nov. 8, Fleming Gymnasium, home to UNCG volleyball, women's basketball and men's basketball was renamed to Bodford Arena.
• This historic moment for the department was made possible through a transformational $2 million gift from the Bodford family.
• This generous support represents the largest unrestricted gift in the history of UNCG Athletics, as well as the first associated with naming a competitive athletic facility.  
• The University is already familiar with the Bodford name - the Bodford Family Speed, Strength & Conditioning Center was dedicated in October 2020.  

UNCG MEN'S BASKETBALL TICKET INFORMATION
To secure your tickets for UNCG men's basketball home games click HERE for options including single games and group discounts, flex plans, and full season ticket options.  For more information about upcoming ticket promotions or to purchase over the phone call the UNCG Ticket Office at 336-334-3250 or email admoore10@uncg.edu. 
 
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UP NEXT
UNCG will be in Greensboro for both its SoCon contests next week. The Spartans will host VMI on Wednesday, Feb. 11 at 7:00 p.m. in First Horizon Coliseum. The team will then host Wofford on Saturday, Feb. 14 at 5:00 p.m. inside Bodford Arena.
 
Wednesday's game against the Keydets will be Scout Night, Reading Day and International Night. Saturday's game against the Terriers will be Hawaiian Theme: First 500 fans receive a FREE Hawaiian Shirt and Valentines Day BOGO!
 
In addition, Saturday's game will be a part of a doubleheader with UNCG women's basketball hosting Furman at 2:00 p.m. Fans who attend the women's game (who do not already have a ticket to the men's game) are able to stay for the men's game but must relocate to the back of section five in Bodford Arena upon conclusion of the 2:00 p.m. game. If fans have a men's ticket, you are allowed to enter the women's game.