Armstrong Named SoCon Player of the Week ... Again

UNCG guard Derrell Armstrong was named SoCon Player of the Week for the second straight week. Here is the announcement from SoConSports.com.

The junior averaged 25 points, seven rebounds and three assists in two games last week as the Spartans picked up overtime wins over Appalachian State (77-73) and Western Carolina (89-86).

UNCG Press

From WFMY News 2's DigTraid page, here's an interview with UNCG Coach Wes Miller. Also, there are interviews with Trevis Simpson, David Williams and a video of practice.

USA Today posted their weekly SoCon update with some interesting notes about UNCG.

--The carnage that was the January schedule of games in the Southern Conference has produced plenty of good basketball, but it's come at the majority of the league's expense. Entering the final month of the regular season, only Davidson, Wofford, Furman and College of Charleston will have winning overall records. The best overall win tally in the north division is Elon's 10-10 record.

--The league is about a month away from voting for its top coach, but barring some unforeseen changes, it may very well come down to Davidson's Bob McKillop and UNC-Greensboro interim coach Wes Miller. The latter, who took over for Mike Dement in early December, coached his team to six straight victories to close out January. Miller's team was atop the north division standings entering the final month of regular-season play.

McKillop, who has his team on top of the south division standings, has his team at 9-1 entering February an in line to win the regular-season title.

--As far as the Player of the Year honors go, the decision may be a bit harder for the coaches and media. The Citadel big man Mike Groselle enters the final month of play as the Southern Conference leader in both points (17.3 ppg) and rebounds (9.6 rpg). However, many may not vote for a player on a team that has struggled so much. The Bulldogs won just one of their first one of their first 10 league games. Others to keep an eye on are UNC Greensboro guard Trevis Simpson, College of Charleston senior Antwaine Wiggins and Georgia Southern's Eric Ferguson. Ferguson is the only other player in the league in the top five in both points and rebounds.

There was an article this past weekend in the Raleigh News & Observer about Wes Miller and App State coach Jason Capel and their unique relationship as head coaches in the same conference.

Also, I believe Wes Miller is scheduled to be on WFNZ's (Charlotte, NC) syndicated afternoon sports radio show "The Drive" hosted by Taylor Zarzour and Marc James. The show airs from 3-7 EST. I will post the time he is going to be on the show when I find out. The show can be heard on UNCG's flagship station WCOG 1320 AM in the triad, on ESPN Radio in the triangle and on WFNZ in Charlotte. The show is streamed over the Internet here, here and here.

UPDATE: Wes will be on at 6 pm EST.

UPDATE x2: The interview can be heard here.

UNCG-WCU Highlights

From UNCG's YouTube channel ...

Scanning the SoCon - Week 13

Scanning the SoCon - Week # 13

1. Davidson
2. Wofford
3. Ga Southern
4. UNCG
5. Elon
6. App State
7. Furman
8. Charleston
9. Samford
10. Western Carolina
11. Chattanooga
12. Citadel

Who do you think is the best sixth man in the league?

DavidsonCats- There are several players who have primarily come off the bench this year, but have started a few games. Guys like Jack Isenbarger and Derrell Armstrong. My top sixth man would be Chris Czerapowicz. He hasn't started any games and has been Davidson's best scorer off the bench. Through 20 games, he's scored 183 points and grabbed 88 rebounds. 9.2 points and 4.4 rebounds. He's getting better rapidly.

MocsMania- I'd love to be a homer here and pick Z Mason, who I think will be a force in the SoCon starting next year, and already has proven to be one of the Mocs better players. But in the end, you really can't go wrong with UNCG's Derrell Armstrong at this point. He is one of the main reasons that the Spartans have started winning. I know he hasn't played that well all year, but at his current level of play, there really is no going wrong picking him.

TheSportsArsenal- Right now I would slightly favor Derrell Armstrong of UNCG as the league's top sixth man.

UNCGBasketballFan- Well, it's kind of hard to decide who is really coming off of the bench for some teams. This week I watched Omar Carter (ASU) and Harouna Mutombo (WCU) not start for their teams. However, I'm going to be biased and say that right now, UNCG's Derrell Armstong is the best pure bench player. He's scored 23 or more points his part 4 games is one of the leading catalysts to UNCG quick climb up the standings.

Updated SoCon Standings

As of 1/29 ...

North
1. UNCG (6-4)
2. Elon (5-4)
3. App State (5-5)
4. Samford (4-5)
5. Western Carolina (3-6)
6. Chattanooga (3-7)

South
1. Davidson (9-1)
2. Wofford (7-3)
3. Ga Southern (7-4)
4. Furman (5-5)
5. Charleston (4-6)
6. Citadel (1-9)

Schedule for this Week
Monday 1/30
- Charleston @ Samford
- WCU @ Wofford

Wednesday 2/1
- Davidson @ Furman

Thursday 2/2
- Citadel @ UNCG
- Charleston @ Elon
- Chattanooga @ WCU
- Samford @ App State

Saturday 2/4
- UNCG @ Furman
- Citadel @ Elon
- Ga Southern @ WCU
- Charleston @ App State
- Chattanooga @ Davidson
- Samford @ Wofford

Western Carolina Post Game

David Williams had 18 rebounds !?!?!?!




WFMY has extended highlights on its DigTriad website.

UNCG Wins Another Overtime Thriller

UNCG 89 - Western Carolina 86 OT

News & Record
UNCG Athletics
Western Carolina Athletics

Halftime: UNCG 41 - WCU 31

UNCG Stats
Leader Points: Trevis Simpson (26)
Leader Rebounds: David Williams (18)
Leader Assists: Derrell Armstrong (4)
Team FG: 26-56 (46.4%)
Team 3 Pt: 7-18 (38.9%)
Team FT: 30-37 (81.1%)
Rebounds: 43
Turnovers: 21

Western Carolina Stats
Leader Points: Trey Sumler (22)
Leader Rebounds: Tawaski King (11)
Leader Assists: King, Sumler, Keaton Cole (2 tied)
Team FG: 26-73 (35.6%)
Team 3 Pt: 9-27 (33.3%)
Team FT: 25-33 (75.8%)
Rebounds: 43
Turnovers: 16

Thoughts
The Spartans again had trouble closing out an opponent in regulation only to take a fast least again in overtime and hold on during another come back attempt.

This time, a questionable foul call allowed the Catamounts to shoot 3 free throws with under 2 seconds to tie the game up. While I do think the call was a big bailout call for the Western player, UNCG has to not challenge that shot to the point of being in position to have it called in the first place.

It was still great to see UNCG shrug off that disappointment and thrive in another overtime session. Trevis Simpson (26 pts & 5 rebs) and Derrell Armstrong (23 pts, 6 rebs & 4 assists) had another outstanding performance, it was David Williams' 18 rebounds that really helped UNCG down the stretch in regulation and overtime.

UNCG has now swept 3 straight weekend doubleheaders to move from last to first in Southern Conference North Division. It's unfortunate that 3 of their 4 conference losses came before December 6. However, with almost half of the conference season left to come, the Spartans will have to continue their winning ways to pick up a tournament bye.

Western Carolina (9-12) @ UNCG (7-14)

When: Saturday, January 28 2 pm
Where: Greensboro Coliseum (7,617/23,500)
TV: None/Spartan All-Access

Western Carolina Athletics

Preseason Preview

12/3 UNCG 69 @ WCU 73 Recap

UNCG Stats
Last Game: Appalachian State (W 77-73 OT) Recap
PPG: 66.8
RPG: 35.1
APG: 11.4
Leader Points: Trevis Simpson (16.2)
Leader Rebounds: Aaron Brackett (4.8)
Leader Assists: Drew Parker (2.5)
FG %: 38.9
3 Pt %: 32.3
FT %: 64.6

Western Carolina Stats
Last Game: Elon (L 63-71) Recap
PPG: 69.4
RPG: 35.3
APG: 10.8
Leader Points: Harouna Mutombo (13.3)
Leader Rebounds: Harouna Mutombo (6.0)
Leader Assists: Trey Sumler (3.9)
FG %: 42.2
3 Pt %: 32.9
FT %: 68.5

Thoughts
UNCG has done a great job of getting themselves into position to make a run at a tournament bye or even a division title. The guys weathered a very rough beginning to the season. However, to really compete for that division title, the Spartans have to continue to win. Victories are especially important when the games are against teams in the North division.

While UNCG and WCU are playing on Saturday, Elon and App State will be competing in Burlington. In order to keep pace with the Pheonix, the Spartans have to find a way to pick up another "W". A Mountaineers win coupled with a Spartans victory would put UNCG alone in first place for the first time in a very long time.

The story for today's game is much the same as the one from Thursday night. UNCG played Western Carolina almost 2 months ago. So much has changed since then that it might as well have been last season. The Spartans are playing with a different attitude and a different style of offense. Added to that is the new found strength of the UNCG bench. Derrell Armstrong has been on a tear over the past three games. In order to beat the Catamounts, he will have to continue his great play.

Western Carolina will play their methodical "Princeton style" offense. It will require UNCG to stay focused on the defensive end and to not get frustrated and impatient. This could translate into poor shots on the offensive end.

I'm thinking the strong performance on Thursday night will lead to a very nice home crowd again today. It's nice to see such enthusiasm building up around the program. I hope the team continues to stay hungry and play hard. Go Spartans !!!

Cremins to Take a Leave of Absence

College of Charleston Coach Bobby Cremins is currently deciding whether to take a leave of absence or to step down. The Charleston Post & Courier has an article discussing the situation there.

College of Charleston head basketball coach Bobby Cremins, suffering from unspecified but non-life threatening health problems, is deciding whether to take an extended leave of absence or resign, high-level sources told The Post and Courier on Friday.

An official announcement from the school is expected at a new conference scheduled for 6:15 p.m. today.

UNCG-App State Highlights

From UNCG's YouTube channel ...



WFMY News 2 also has a good extended highlight clip on their DigTraid website.

Current SoCon Standings

As of 1/27 ...

North
1. Elon (5-3)
2. UNCG (5-4)
3. App State (4-5)
4. Western Carolina (3-5)
4. Samford (3-5)
6. Chattanooga (3-6)

South
1. Davidson (9-0)
2. Wofford (6-3)
3. Ga Southern (6-4)
4. Charleston (4-5)
4. Furman (4-5)
6. Citadel (1-8)

App Post Game

Coach Miller owns his mistake and credits the team for "having his back" in the post game press conference.



Here is MocsMania's recap of the UNCG-App State game. As I told you yesterday, the blog label the game as the "SoCon Monster Game of the Week".

The Spartans on the other hand may just be the favorite in the North at this point. Can they carry this momentum over to Saturday? They have failed to do that the last two weekends. Yes, they came up with two wins, but nailbiters over The Citadel and Samford are not what the Spartans have in mind. They will need to play a solid game at home against Western Carolina on Saturday to continue their five game winning streak and stay right in the hunt in the North.

My thoughts exactly.

UNCG Wins 5th Straight in Overtime

UNCG 77 - Appalachian State 73 OT

News & Record Recap
UNCG Athletics Recap
App State Recap

Halftime: UNCG 26 - App State 32

UNCG Stats
Leader Points: Derrell Armstrong (27)
Leader Rebounds: Taylor Hoffer (10)
Leader Assists: Armstrong, Drew Parker, Korey Van Dussen (tie 2)
Team FG: 27-63 (42.9%)
Team 3 Pt: 5-17 (29.4%)
Team FT: 18-27 (66.7%)
Rebounds: 40
Turnovers: 15

Appalachian St Stats
Leader Points: Omar Carter (19)
Leder Rebounds: Andre Williamson (8)
Leader Assists: Mike Neal (3)
Team FG: 22-50 (40.0%)
Team 3 Pt: 7-18 (38.9%)
Team FT: 22-32 (68.8%)
Rebounds: 33
Turnovers: 20

Thoughts
I'll admit that 10 minutes into the game I was saying to myself, "Well it was a good run that had to end sometime." UNCG wasn't making shots and really wasn't guarding anyone. They had already fallen behind 30-13 and their leading scorer was going to get to spend the rest of the half on the bench with 3 fouls. It was not a recipe for success. But the team fought back.

I also thought G was snake bit on Thursday night with the repeatedly bad mistakes at the end like fouling a 3 point shooter or getting a technical foul for having too many men on the court. But the team fought back from those too.

This team deserves a ton of credit for battling through mistakes and a rough first part of the season in general. It's really hard to believe how far this team has came in the past month. It seems like these guys have really forgot how to lose at this point, and I hope they never try to remember.

Also, credit needs to be given to reserve big man Taylor Hoffer. He battled hard with ASU center Ike Butts who is much larger. However, Hoffer worked his way to his first career double-double and really ignited G by showing some extreme toughness against the bigger App State players.

Times-Free Press Previews Tonight's Game

From the Chattanooga Times-Free Press ...

The Spartans win if ... Junior guard Derrell Armstrong continues the hot streak that he’s been on. The SoCon player of the week scorched UTC for 29 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the arc after entering the game with five 3s all season. He followed that with 27 points in a last-second 61-60 win against Samford.

The Mountaineers win if ... They dominate the post and slow the game just a tick. Both teams like to run and it’s the Spartans’ best style, but ASU has a big advantage in a half-court game because of its size and experience.

UPDATE: Also MocsMania has a nice preview of th game as it is listed as the "SoCon Monster Game of the Week".

Appalachian State (8-10) @ UNCG (6-14)

When: Thursday, January 26 7 pm
Where: Greensboro Coliseum (7,617/23,500)
TV: None/Spartan All-Access

App State Athletics

Preseason Preview

12/1 - UNCG 64 @ App State 78 Recap

UNCG Stats
Last Game: Samford (W 61-60) Recap
PPG: 66.3
RPG: 34.9
APG: 11.6
Leader Points: Trevis Simpson (15.9)
Leader Rebounds: Aaron Brackett (4.8)
Leader Assists: Drew Parker (2.6)
FG %: 38.7
3 Pt %: 32.5
FT %: 64.4

Appalachian St. Stats
Last Game: Western Carolina (W 84-72) Recap
PPG: 67.9
RPG: 34.7
APG: 12.8
Leader Points: Omar Carter (13.2)
Leader Rebounds: Andre Williamson (6.9)
Leader Assists: Mike Neal (3.1)
FG%: 44.0
3 Pt%: 36.5
FT %: 62.8

Thoughts
The last time these two teams faced each other, "Spartan killer" Omar Carter scored 24 and ASU cruised to an easy 12 point win in Boone. The bright spot for the Spartans was Aaron Brackett. He scored17 points and had 9 rebounds. That game was also played on December 1st and at this point, it might as well be a different season. UNCG was coached by Mike Dement. They had just been thoroughly beaten by arch rival NC A&T. Their players had spent the week trashing their most loyal supporters on Twitter. They were a team in chaos that was getting ready to drift into a long losing streak.

What a difference a few months can make. Coming into this game against App, the Spartans have a new coach, a new confidence, and a shiny new winning streak on display. UNCG also has seen the recent emergence of what is looking like the best 6th man in the SoCon, Derrell Armstrong.

I expect the Greensboro Coliseum to see it's biggest crowd of the season for the "Gold Out" game. The fact that G is playing a rival with a pretty large local alumni base shouldn't hurt either.

However, let's not lose sight of the major division implications. UNCG and ASU are tied at (4-4) in the North and only 0.5 games behind Elon (4-3). Western Carolina and Elon will meet in Burlington on Thursday night. A Catamount win would catapult the ASU-UNCG winner into first place. An Elon victory would put the loser of the Spartans-Mountaineers game in a tough position to win the North title.

Even though there are quite a few conference games left to go, these in-division games are crucial. This is one that UNCG absolutely needs to win for a bunch of reasons. It's a home game in front of a lot of fans that were disheartened by the early season swoon. A win would completely re-energize the fan base and start filling up the bandwagon. Also, it would force the entire league would have to look up and say, "uh oh, those guys are still winning."

I've spent a lot of my time as a G fan watching them win more often than they lost. These last three (and a half) seasons have really hurt. I'm tired of them and ready to put them in the past. It's time to put a big nail in that coffin and move on to better times. Go Spartans !!!

Goodman Interviews Wes Miller

Jeff Goodman's column "Eye on College Basketball" ran a featured story on UNCG coach Wes Miller yesterday. Good stuff, but I really like this quote ...

"One of the players told me that, but I haven't even looked at it," Miller said. "I know we're not where we want and need to be. We're not afraid to talk about big goals and dreams, but in order to do that we have to take it one practice and one game at a bime."

Armstrong Named SoCon Player of the Week

UNCG guard Derrell Armstrong broke Davidson's Jake Cohen's Southern Conference Player of the Week winning streak by taking the award this week. Here is the announcement on SoConSports.com.

The junior averaged 28 points and five rebounds in two games last week as the Spartans ran their win streak to four with victories against Chattanooga (81-72) and Samford (61-60).

Gold Out

UNCG Signee Picks Up Accolade

UNCG fall signee, Jordan Potts (5'-10" PG, Northland HS/Columbus, OH) was named "Athlete of the Week" this week by the Columbus Dispatch. It sounds like Potts had a great week shooting the basketball and dishing out assists. He also plays for the #1 team in the state. Two other players on the team have committed to play D1 ball for the Dayton Flyers.

I will try to point out articles throughout the year about UNCG commits as I receive them.

Mid-Majority Comes to Greensboro

The Mid-Majority is a great website that is geared towards mid-major basketball programs. They have authors that travel all around the country to visit and review basketball arenas. This past Sunday, they visited the Greensboro Coliseum to watch the Spartans host Samford. Here is their article.

Final Samford Wrap Up

First, before I get post the highlight video from the UNCG-Samford game, I have to quote something said by Samford coach Jimmy Tillette on the game recap on the University's athletics website.

We found a way to have a lead and I thought we found a way to have a win. I thought that was a very questionable no-call on that travel at the end.

I'm not shocked that the Samford coach made a statement like that. He showed his ass a bunch of times during the day. He and his players spent a large portion of the day pouting and compaining, even though there was a pretty signifigant foul & free throw difference in their favor.

Now here are some game highlights, from the UNCG Youtube channel. Watch the final play a bunch of times. Not a travel.



Also, here is the UNCG Sports Blog's recap of yesterday's game. By the way, if you don't follow Calvin's Twitter feed, you should. He does a great job of in-game updates.

Scanning the SoCon - Week 12

Scanning the SoCon - Week # 12

Rank the teams.
1. Davidson
2. Wofford
3. Elon
4. Ga Southern
5. App State
6. Western Carolina
7. UNCG
8. Charleston
9. Chattanooga
10. Samford
11. Furman
12. Citadel

Which game are you most looking forward to that does not involve your team?

DavidsonCats- I want to know who is going to win the North. I think ASU is the best team in that division, so I'm eager to see how they do at UNCG and against Elon.

MocsMania- I'm going with Thursday's battle between Appalachian State and UNCG. The winner of this game will have a leg up on at least a bye from the North, and possibly on the whole North division. Both teams are 4-4 in SoCon play. The winner jumps out in front. I think this should be a great game, and it will tell us a lot about both teams, who are trying to make runs at the North division title.

Current Conference Standings

As of 1/23 ...

North
1. Elon (4-3)
2. UNCG (4-4)
2. App State (4-4)
4. Western Carolina (3-4)
5. Chattanooga (3-5)
6. Samford (2-6)

South
1. Davidson (8-0)
2. Wofford (5-3)
2. Ga Southern (5-3)
4. Charleston (4-4)
5. Furman (3-5)
6. Citadel (1-6)

Schedule for the Week
Monday 1/23
- Citadel @ GSU

Thursday 1/26
- App State @ UNCG
- Furman @ Charleston
- Ga Southern @ Samford
- Elon @ Western Carolina
- Davidson @ Chattanooga
- Wofford @ Citadel

Saturday 1/28
- Elon @ App State
- Western Carolina @ UNCG
- Furman @ Citadel
- Wofford @ Charleston
- Davidson @ Samford
- Ga Southern @ Chattanooga

Samford Post Game

Post game press conference with Coach Miller, David Williams and Derrell Armstrong.



Also, WFMY News 2 has highlights of the game, including a replay of the final play here.

Buzzer Beater by Williams Pushes Winning Steak to Four

UNCG 61 - Samford 60

News & Record
UNCG Athletics
Samford Athletics

Halftime: UNCG 35 - Samford 27

UNCG Stats
Leader Points: Derrell Armstrong (27)
Leader Rebounds: David Williams (7)
Leader Assists: Drew Parker (3)
Team FG: 23-71 (32.4%)
Team 3 Pt: 8-28 (28.6%)
Team FT: 7-9 (77.8%)
Rebounds: 34
Turnovers: 7

Samford Stats
Leader Points: Drew Windler (19)
Leader Rebounds: Jeffrey Merritt (11)
Leader Assists: Jeffrey Merritt (3)
Team FG: 21-47 (44.7%)
Team 3 Pt: 4-14 (28.6%)
Team FT: 14-19 (73.7%)
Rebounds: 43
Turnovers: 23

Thoughts
It took a David Williams rebound and put back in with 2 seconds to play to lift UNCG over Samford for their 4th straight win. However, it was causing 23 Bulldog turnovers (Williams had 4 steals) and taking 24 more shots that really allowed the Spartans topick up their 3rd home win of the season.

Derrell Armstrong continued his play by scoring 27 points. Trevis Simpson got himself back on track with 15 points. But UNCG had to weather a rough second half that saw very few shots falling and massive foul trouble.

UNCG again stepped up their play in the final five minutes to take back a game that looked like it might slip away. This is really a stark change from just a few weeks ago when the Spartans seemed to swoon over those last few minutes.

Now UNCG will have a giant set of weekend rematch games against App State & Western Carolina. Two wins could really set UNCG up to earn a North division title and first round tournament bye.

Samford (5-12) @ UNCG (5-14)

When: Sunday, January 22 2 pm
Where: Greensboro Coliseum (7,617/23,500)
TV: None/Spartan All-Access

Samford Athletics

Preseason Preview

UNCG Notes
Last Game: Chattanooga (W 81-72) Recap
PPG: 66.6
RPG: 34.9
APG: 11.7
Leader Points: Trevis Simpson (15.9)
Leader Rebounds: Aaron Brackett (4.9)
Leader Assists: Drew Parker (2.5)
FG %: 39.1
3 Pt %: 32.7
FT %: 64.1

Samford Notes
Last Game: @ Elon (W 86-80) Recap
PPG: 66.6
RPG: 32.4
APG: 15.1
Leader Points: Drew Windler (13.2)
Leader Rebounds: Jeffrey Merritt (6.8)
Leader Assists: Jeffrey Merritt (3.2)
FG %: 44.1
3 Pt %: 34.6
FT %: 63.4

Thoughts
If there's a SoCon team that is hot as UNCG, it's the Samford Bulldogs. Samford found themselves in the same position as UNCG just a few weeks ago. However, last Saturday Samford played a very good game against Chattanooga and it propelled them to their own two game winning streak.

Samford has a lot more in common with with SoCon teams like Davidson and Elon than any other programs. They run a system and they stick to it. The Spartans will be trying to get Samford into playing wild and out of control. UNCG has dictated tempo in 2 of their last 3 games (Charleston & UTC). However, Samford will not bring the same athletes to Greensboro that those two teams possess. So, they are going to try to stick to their system.

The key will be to continue shooting well and forcing the opponent into taking shots that they are not as comfortable taking. With the other teams in the North division all playing each other, A UNCG win should move UNCG into some tie for first place in the division. It would also give UNCG their longest winning streak in quite as long time. Go Spartans !!!

Current SoCon Standings

As of 1/20

North
1. Elon (3-3)
1. Western Carolina (3-3)
3. UNCG (3-4)
3. App State (3-4)
3. Chattanooga (3-4)
6. Samford (2-4)

South
1. Davidson (7-0)
2. Wofford (4-3)
2. Charleston (4-3)
2. Ga Southern (4-3)
5. Furman (3-4)
6. Citadel (1-5)

Post Game Press Conference - Chattanooga

Huge production from the bench ...

UNCG Outlast Mocs for Third Straight Win

UNCG 81 - Chattanooga 72

News & Record Recap
Times-Free Press Recap
UNCG Athletics Recap
UTC Athletics Recap

Halftime: UNCG 37 - Chattanooga 31

UNCG Stats
Leader Points: Derrell Armstrong (29)
Leader Rebounds: Aaron Brackett (11)
Leader Assists: Derrell Armstrong (4)
Team FG: 28-63 (44.4%)
Team 3 Pt: 14-34 (41.2%)
Team FT: 11-19 (57.9%)
Rebounds: 35
Turnovers: 8

Chattanooga Stats
Leader Points: Omar Wattad (19)
Leader Rebounds: Drazen Zlovaric (13)
Leader Assists: Keegan Bell (3)
Team FG: 25-59 (42.4%)
Team 3 Pt: 6-18 (33.3%)
Team FT: 16-26 (61.5%)
Rebounds: 40
Turnovers: 16

Thoughts
I thought it was a great team effort last night to pull out the win. Trevis Simpson was just having an off night and Derrell Armstrong really helped to pick him up. With the combination of Armstrong, Nick Paulos (8 pts) and Kyle Randall (15 pts) Help UNCG's bench to out score the Mocs bench 49-12.

Poor free throw shooting almost allowed Chattanooga to make a furious comeback. However, a big 3 pointer from Korey Van Dussen (7 pts & 4 rebs) put a dagger in the Mocs. From there, the Spartans dropped in enough free throws to pull away.

UNCG has now won 3 straight games and is sitting a position to make a huge push towards contending in the North. With Elon, Chattanooga and App State losing on Thursday, UNCG now finds itself tied for second (.5 game back in the loss column). That's huge thinking back to where they were at only 7 days ago.

Last of Citadel Game Coverage

Yahoo Sports posted a recap of the Citadel ending in their weekly college basketball series called "The Dagger"byJeff Eisenberg.

UNCG Sports Blog posted an article about the low country wins.

And finally, here's one more Youtube video of Simpson's game winning dunk.



Not a great video and it's taken off of someone's computer, but it's cool to hear the Citadel radio guys.

Interview With Coach Miller

From WFMY News 2 and DigTriad.com ...

UPDATE: Adding the video to my page has been a pain in the ass. Just use the link and watch it.

UNCG Gets Some Good Press

I don't remember if I've said it here in the blog, but the Chattanooga Times-Free Press does probably the best job of covering all of the SoCon basketball teams. UTC's beat writer, David Uchiyama, is very plugged into what is happening all around the conference. So, If you're ever in need of some UNCG news, you can usually find some articles there.

Having said that, there is a very good article posted about the UNCG coaching transition. I thought the comments by Korey Van Dussen and Trevis Simpson about the mid season change to Wes Miller were interesting. They are the kind of comments that I would expect and part of the reason why I wasn't a huge fan of making the move in the middle of the year. However, I think it also speaks to the tremendous job that Miller has done to not only keep this team together, but to get the guys to buy into the program for the rest of the season.

There is also a preview article for tonight's game posted at the Time-Free Press.

Chattanooga (9-10) @ UNCG (4-14)

When: Thursday, January 19 7 pm
Where: Greensboro Coliseum (7,617/23,500)
TV: None/Spartan All-Access (free)

Chattanooga Athletics

Preseason Preview

UNCG Notes
Last Game: @ Citadel (W 67-66) Recap
PPG: 65.8
RPG: 34.9
APG: 11.6
Leader Points: Trevis Simpson (16.5)
Leader Rebounds: David Williams (4.7)
Leader Assists: Drew Parker (2.6)
FG%: 38.7
3 Pt %: 31.9
FT %: 64.4

Chattanooga Notes
Last Game: @ Samford (L 70-81) Recap
PPG: 70.7
RPG: 39.9
APG: 16.0
Leader Points: Ricky Taylor (13.2)
Leader Rebounds: Drazen Zlovaric (6.9)
Leader Assists: Keegan Bell (7.1)
FG %: 42.2
3 Pt %: 35.7
FT %: 66.9

Thoughts
UNCG played some inspired basketball this past weekend in the low country of SC. All of the breaks went their way. Some of the breaks included everyone in the North Division taking a step backwards and leaving the Spartans with a chance to really get back into the race for a bye. UNCG is only 1.5 games back (1 in the win column) of Elon, UTC, App State and Western Carolina. With ASU-WCU and UTC-Elon playing games against each other on Saturday, the Spartans can take another huge step forward this weekend. However, it all starts with beating the Mocs.

Chattanooga hasn't won a game on the road this season. They've lost at places like Kentucky and Indiana, but also at Samford. This points to a bigger problem for the Mocs. It would be nice to jump on the Mocs and see if they'll lose hope early. The Mocs have the talent to be one of the best in the SoCon, but they've been very erratic this season. It'll be interesting to see which UTC team shows up in Greensboro.

The Spartans on the other hand, have turned themselves around by doing 2 things that they haven't done well for a while ... shoot better and play better defense. Now I know the overall numbers in the Citadel game don't look that great, but it was the second half defense that UNCG brought to the court that gave them the chance to win at the end.

The last time UNCG made a bunch of Youtube "Sportscenter" type plays, they came out the next game flat and lackluster. Hopefully, the Spartans have learned from this experience and will bring intensity and heart to the court on Thursday night. Go Spartans !!!

What's Next Western, Youth YMCA Teams?

Western Carolina defeated Toccoa Falls 141-39 last night. Here is a recap of the game. Toccoa Falls College is a "fully accredited, Christian liberal arts, bible college, located in Toccoa, Georgia." The Eagles (3-6) are a member NCCAA (National Christian College Athletics Association).

The Catamounts jumped on TCC 72-17 by halftime and eased up on them the second half. Nine (that's right, nine) WCU players scored in double figures. Trey Sumler led Western with 18 points in 18 minutes of playing time. Two of the three WCU players that didn't score in double figures were starters. The margin of victory is the 3rd highest ever in D1 basketball (if that is what we are calling this).

While these are some tremendous statistics, Western Carolina should be ashamed of themselves. Why in the world were they even playing this game? For the record, this is WCU's second game against a non-D1 school. Earlier this season, the Catamount defeated Montreat College 109-63. But for this game, who gained anything from it? It didn't boost attendance (1, 431). It isn't an early season game to get your team some traction. Even the press WCU is receiving from winning by 100+ isn't all good. Some outlets are questioning their sportsmanship (and with good reason).

This past week, the Charleston Post & Courier printed a story discussing with the commissioner some steps the SoCon could take become a real mid-major conference like the CAA. If the P&C had waited a week, Western would have served their point on a silver platter.

On the other hand, SoCon teams have played 20 games against non-Division I teams, dotting schedules with mystery teams such as Warren Wilson, Lindsey Wilson, Spalding and Virginia-Wise, an NAIA team that's played three SoCon squads this season.

The CAA? It's 12 teams have played just one game against a lower-division squad.

CAA programs must ask the league for a waiver to schedule any non-Division I squad. In the SoCon, teams must request a waiver only if they play more than two lower division teams.

"We've talked about scheduling issues and how that impacts the RPI rankings," Iamarino said. "But we've not gotten to the point where we have created a mandatory format. I don't personally think that's in the best interest
of each program."

But Iamarino does review each team's schedule, and said teams expected to contend are encouraged to "schedule up and put some good non-conference opponents on there." Conversely, a schedule with three or four lower-division opponents draws scrutiny from the league office.

"With one program this year, I had a long conversation with their athletic director about it," said Iamarino, who declined to name the team. "I just felt it was an upper echelon program that was not testing itself sufficiently."

I'm guessing the school he declined to name was west of Greensboro.

This past week's installment of Scanning the SoCon asked the panel's opinion about that specific article and the responses were very similar. Here are the Davidson and Chattanooga blogger's responses ...

This article from the Post and Courier talks about things the SoCon needs to do to improve. What do you think the Commissioner needs to do to help improve the conference?

DavidsonCats- Conference teams currently need to request a waiver to play more than two non-D1s. I'd like to see this changed. How about this-- you can play one non-D1. If you want to play a second one, you submit a request for a waiver and a check for $100,000 to be divided among the schools who schedule zero non-D1 teams. The commish keeps the check, but only grants the waiver if he can't find you a D1 game. What that would mean is that no school would request the waiver. They'd find D1 opponents, even if it meant playing other Southern Conference teams, or just leave a game off of the schedule.

MocsMania- Personally, I think the commissioner needs to help with the scheduling- namely two sets of conference challenges (how about the Big South and the OVC?) and each team plays at home in one, and on the road in the other during the season. Then, the following year, they play return trips. (I stole that one from ChattanoogaMocs on the MocFans message board.) I also think that requiring teams to play in the BracketBuster (with a return trip the following year) will be huge. That would be four games each year out of conference right there. Put those on the Mocs schedule this year, and they would not have had to play a single non-D1. Same is true for everyone else in the conference. But, there also needs to be an influx of money spent on basketball to up recruiting budgets and to hire better coaching staffs. I don't know where that influx of money comes from. But that is where the biggest deal will be.

In the end, I guess I'll say congratulations to Western Carolina while informing them that my nephew's 6th grade Upward Bound team already has a full schedule for this season (just in case they were wondering).

End of Citadel Game

Still can't believe this ending. Great play call.

Scanning the SoCon - Week 11

Scanning the SoCon Week #11

1. Davidson
2. Charleston
3. Ga Southern
4. Chattanooga
5. WCU
6. Wofford
7. Elon
8. App State
9. Furman
10. UNCG
11. Citadel
12. Samford

This article from the Post and Courier talks about things the SoCon needs to do to improve. What do you think the Commissioner needs to do to help improve the conference?
DavidsonCats- Conference teams currently need to request a waiver to play more than two non-D1s. I'd like to see this changed. How about this-- you can play one non-D1. If you want to play a second one, you submit a request for a waiver and a check for $100,000 to be divided among the schools who schedule zero non-D1 teams. The commish keeps the check, but only grants the waiver if he can't find you a D1 game. What that would mean is that no school would request the waiver. They'd find D1 opponents, even if it meant playing other Southern Conference teams, or just leave a game off of the schedule.

Current SoCon Standings

As of 1/15 ...

North
1. Elon (3-2)
2. App State (3-3)
2. Chattanooga (3-3)
2. Western Carolina (3-3)
5. UNCG (2-4)
6. Samford (1-4)

South
1. Davidson (6-0)
2. Charleston (4-2)
2. Ga Southern (4-2)
4. Wofford (3-3)
5. Furman (2-4)
6. Citadel (1-5)

Schedule for the Week
Tuesday 1/17
- Toccoa Falls @ WCU

Thursday 1/19
- Chattanooga @ UNCG
- Samford @ Elon
- Ga Southern @ Furman
- Charleston @ Davidson
- App State @ Wofford

Saturday 1/21
- Charleston @ Ga Southern
- Chattanooga @ Elon
- WCU @ App State
- Wofford @ Furman
- Citadel @ Davidson

Sunday 1/22
- Samford @ UNCG

Spartans Win in Crazy Fashion; Sweep Low Country Trip

UNCG 67 - Citadel 66

Post & Courier Recap
UNCG Athletics Recap
Citadel Athletics Recap

Halftime: UNCG 32 - Citadel 36

UNCG Stats
Leader Points: Trevis Simpson (19)
Leader Rebounds: Aaron Brackett (5)
Leader Assists: Korey Van Dussen (4)
Team FG: 23-50 (46.0%)
Team 3 Pt: 3-9 (33.3%)
Team FT: 18-22 (81.8%)
Rebounds: 27
Turnovers: 9

Citadel Stats
Leader Points: Mike Groselle (22)
Leader Rebounds: Mike Groselle (9)
Leader Assists: DeVontae Wright (7)
Team FG: 22-44 (50.0%)
Team 3 Pt: 8-13 (61.5%)
Team FT: 14-22 (63.6)
Rebounds: 31
Turnovers: 15

Thoughts
What an amazing and stunning turn of events in the last 8 seconds of the game. I went from thinking that G had found a way to finish a second straight game, to full on anger and cussing. Then with the last second alley-oop, I was left completely speechless for a solid 2 minutes. If you didn't get to listen to the game, I'll let you read the game recaps from the above links. For this blog, I'll just move on past that to some of the numbers.

Even though the Citadel's numbers are better than UNCG's, it was really the 2nd half defensive effort that put the Spartans in position to make a play at the end. The team's ability to create their own energy at the end of the game helped. I think both of those things can be attributed to the coaches. Also, it was a solid game for Korey Van Dussen. David Williams continues to make lots of great hustle plays.

After sweeping their first road trip since 2007-2008, UNCG now has a 5 game homestand and a chance to really get back in the SoCon North race.

UNCG (3-14) @ Citadel (4-12)

When: Saturday, January 14 7:05 pm
Where McAlister Field House (6,000)
TV: None

Citadel Athletics

Preseason Preview

UNCG Notes
Last Game: @ Charleston (W 73-66) Recap
PPG: 65.7
RPG: 35.4
APG: 11.6
Leader Points: Trevis Simpson (16.4)
Leader Rebounds: David Williams (4.8)
Leader Assists: Drew Parker (2.6)
FG %: 38.4
3 Pt %: 31.9
FT %: 63.2

Citadel Notes
Last Game: Elon (L 55-70) Recap
PPG: 68.5
RPG: 33.7
APG: 14.4
Leader Points: Mike Groselle (16.6)
Leader Rebounds: Mike Groselle (9.8)
Leader Assists: DeVontae Wright (2.7)
FG %: 43.8
3 Pt %: 34.7
FT %: 62.9

Thoughts
UNCG finally had a break though performance on Thursday night at College of Charleston. It was a night when many players stepped up in order to pick up that first SoCon win of the season.

Now the Spartans turn right around and face a team that looks very similar to itself. The Bulldogs sport similar stats (albeit against a lesser schedule) and similar All-SoCon player in Mike Groselle. Groselle has posted 9 straight double-doubles coming into this game. It will take a group effort to contain him.

I hope the Spartans have really found some confidence to build upon for the rest of the season.

Charleston Post Game Comments

Coach Miller after the win ...

Did ESPN3 Forget to Bring an Extension Chord?

Here's the story about the lack of a live feed from Thursday night's game ...

A satellite uplink failure resulted in Thursday’s game not being available on WMMP or ESPN3, according to the College of Charleston. Saturday’s game against Elon (7 p.m.) is scheduled to be broadcast by WMMP and ESPN3.

Luckily, there were some highlights to be found on Youtube.

Spartan Stun Cougars for Miller's First Win

UNCG 73 - Charleston 66

News & Record Recap
Post & Courier Recap
UNCG Athletics Recap
Charleston Athletics Recap

Halftime: UNCG 36 - Charleston 35

UNCG Stats
Leader Points: Trevis Simpson (16)
Leader Rebounds: Aloysius Henry (11)
Leader Assists: Drew Parker (4)
Team FG: 26-59 (44.1%)
Team 3 Pt: 7-18 (38.9%)
Team FT: 14-22 (63.6%)
Rebounds: 48
Turnovers: 22

Charleston Stats
Leader Points: Trent Wiedeman (15)
Leader Rebounds: Trent Wiedeman (9)
Leader Assists: Andrew Lawrence (3)
Team FG: 22-60 (36.7%)
Team 3 Pt: 6-26 (23.1%)
Team FT: 16-28 (57.1%)
Rebounds: 36
Turnovers: 16

Thoughts
The Spartans won despite having 22 turnovers thanks to some big rebounds by David Williams and some great defense that held Charleston to just 3 points over the final 4+ minutes. Aloysius Henry came alive by pulling down 11 rebounds in 25 minutes of playing time. Also, Derrell Armstrong (16 pts) and Drew Parker (9 pts) really did a great job of not letting UNCG falter while Trevis Simpson sat with 4 fouls.

It's been UNCG that has normally fallen flat at the end of games this season. However, the Spartans really siezed this game at that point and wouldn't let go. It was a really great win for a team that's been playing very hard. It's the first win for new coach Wes Miller and UNCG's first conference win. Unfortunately, there is little time to enjoy it. UNCG faces the Citadel tomorrow afternoon.

UNCG (2-14) @ Charleston (11-4)

When: Thursday, January 12 8 pm
Where: TD Bank Arena (5,100)
TV: ESPN3

Charleston Athletics

Preseason Preview

UNCG Notes
Last Game: Davidson (L 63-92) Recap
PPG: 65.3
RPG: 34.6
APG: 11.7
Leader Points: Trevis Simpson (16.4)
Leader Rebounds: Aaron Brackett (4.8)
Leader Assists: Drew Parker (2.5)
FG %: 38.1
3 Pt %: 31.5
FT %: 63.2

Charleston Notes
Last Game: @Furman (W 66-43) Recap
PPG: 72.5
RPG: 34.9
APG: 12.3
Leader Points: Antwaine Wiggins (16.9)
Leader Rebounds: Trent Wiedeman (7.5)
Leader Assists: Andrew Lawrence (5.1)
FG %: 45.7
3 Pt %: 36.6
FT: 64.9

Thoughts
A lot like Davidson a week ago, I don't see a lot of holes in this Charleston team. They have played a solid schedule and played well against most of the teams. They had a minor hiccup against Wofford a week ago, but then turned right around and got things settled down two days later at Furman.

UNCG will have to bring a lot more poise and energy to the court than they did a week ago at home against Davidson. The Wildcats nearly ran G off their own floor before halftime. This Cougars team is every bit as good as that Davidson team. So, tonight could be another tall task.

Current SoCon Standings

North
1. Western Carolina (3-1)
2. Elon (2-1)
3. Chattanooga (2-2)
3. App State (2-2)
5. Samford (0-3)
6. UNCG (0-4)

South
1. Davidson (4-0)
2. Charleston (3-1)
2. Ga Southern (3-1)
4. Wofford (2-2)
5. Furman (1-3)
6. Citadel (1-3)


Schedule for the Week
Thursday 1/12
- Furman @ App State (ESPN3)
- WCU @ Davidson
- UNCG @ Charleston (ESPN3)
- Wofford @ Chattanooga
- Samford @ Ga Southern
- Elon @ Citadel

Saturday 1/14
- Davidson @ App State
- Furman @ WCU
- Chattanooga @ Samford (ESPN3)
- Elon @ Charleston (ESPN3)
- UNCG @ Citadel
- Ga Southern @ Wofford

Scanning the SoCon- Week 10

Scanning the SoCon - Week # 10

1. Davidson
2. Charleston
3. Wofford
4. Elon
5. Ga Southern
6. Chattanooga
7. Furman
8. App State
9. WCU
10. Samford
11. UNCG
12. Citadel

Sum up your team.
UNCGBasketballFan- What a ridiculous week for the Spartans. UNCG went to Coral Gables and played a solid game against Miami on national TV. Trevis Simpson went off for 36 points and the team played very inspired for almost the entire game. It took a major effort on the part of Miami big man Kenny Kadji to keep the Canes from being upset. The Spartans then came home and were routed as thoroughly as possible by Davidson. It took a billion shots for Trevis Simpson to be the only G player in double figures. I'm not sure whether it was the perfect storm of a great game by Davidson and a terrible night for G or something else. However, I don't know what to think of this team anymore. I keep telling people this isn't the worst team in the SoCon, but it sure is starting to look that way. A Saturday date at the Ctadel should answer that question.

Davidson Post Game Press Conference

Coach Miller says it was a lack of effort ...

Wildcats Dominate UNCG

UNCG 63 - Davidson 92

News & Record Recap
UNCG Athletics Recap
Davidson Recap

Halftime: UNCG 26 - Davidson 48

UNCG Stats
Leader Points: Trevis Simpson (15)
Leader Rebounds: David Williams (5)
Leader Assists: Derrell Armstrong (5)
Team FG: 18-51 (35.3%)
Team 3 Pt: 6-16 (37.5%)
Team FT: 21-33 (63.6%)
Rebounds: 26
Turnovers: 16

Davidson Stats
Leader Points: Nik Cochran (22)
Leader Rebounds: Chris Czerapowicz (8)
Leader Assists: Nik Cochran (6)
Team FG: 30-59 (50.8%)
Team 3 Pt: 10-25 (40.0%)
Team FT: 22-27 (81.5%)
Rebounds: 43
Turnovers: 17

Davidson (8-4) @ UNCG (2-13)

When: Thursday, January 5 7 pm
Where: Greensboro Coliseum (7,617/23,500)
TV: None/Spartan All-Access

Davidson Athletics

Preseason Preview

UNCG Notes
Last Game: @ Miami (L 89-99) Recap
PPG: 65.4
RPG: 35.1
APG: 11.7
Leader Points: Trevis Simpson (16.5)
Leader Rebounds: Aaron Brackett (5.0)
Leader Assists: Drew Parker (2.5)
FG%: 38.2
3 Pt %: 31.2
FT %: 63.1


Davidson Notes
Last Game: Penn (W 75-70) Recap
PPG: 76.2
RPG: 36.6
APG: 12.3
Leader Points: De'Mon Brooks (15.6)
Leader Rebounds: De'Mon Brooks (6.3)
Leader Assists: Tom Droney (3.3)
FG %: 43.0
3 Pt %: 30.7
FT %: 80.4

Scanning the SoCon - Week 9

Scanning the SoCon - Week #9

1. Davidson
2. Chaleston
3. Elon
4. Western Carolina
5. Wofford
6. App State
7. Chattanooga
8. Furman
9. Ga Southern
10. UNCG
11. Citadel
12. Samford

What do you think the standings in the SoCon North will be at the end of the year?

MocsMania- The North is anybody's guess. Samford is likely the worst team, and not quite ready to contend for anything higher than fifth in the division. UNC-Greensboro is a potential team to contend in the North, but the Spartans have struggled so far. They look like the fifth best team to me. The other four appear to be toss-ups. Elon appears to be the favorite, though they have been coming back to the pack as of late. The second bye should go to Western Carolina. The Catamounts have been showing the most signs of getting it together at this point. The Mocs are a very close third. They have played two road games so far, both of them difficult trips, including their only battle against College of Charleston this year. If they get rolling this week, they will be a contender until the end for a bye in the North. That leaves Appalachian State for fourth. They are not far off from a bye. They could certainly get it.

SoCon Standings

Just wanted to give a quick update on the SoCon standings as everyone now gets back into conference play.

North
1. Elon (2-0)
Wins: Furman, @ UNCG
1. Western Carolina 2-0
Wins: Samford, UNCG,
3. App State (1-1)
Wins: UNCG
Losses: @ Ga Southern
4. Samford (0-1)
Losses: WCU
5. Chattanooga (0-2)
Losses: @ Ga Southern, @ Charleston
6. UNCG (0-3)
Losses: @ App State, @ WCU, Elon

South
1. Charleston (2-0)
Wins: Chattanooga, Citadel
1. Davidson (2-0)
Wins: @ Wofford, Furman
1. Ga Southern (2-0)
Wins: Chattanooga, App State
4. Wofford (1-1)
Wins: Citadel
Losses: Davidson
5. Furman (0-2)
Losses:@ Davidson, @ Elon
6. Citadel (0-2)
Losses: @ Charleston, @ Wofford

Dunks at Miami

A compilation of dunks from the Miami game, including the one that broke the goal.

Rivals Midseason Report

SoCon midseason report from Rivals ...

The name atop the league’s list of scoring leaders—College of Charleston forward Antwaine Wiggins—was somewhat expected at this point after the type of year the senior has had. But the name directly below him is a different story. UNC Greensboro sophomore guard Trevis Simpson was turning into a scoring machine against opponents big and small. During a Jan. 2 loss to Miami, Simpson scored a career-high 36 points.

Simpson led his team in scoring in nine of the Spartans’ first 15 games, and he already had five 20-point games to his credit. Much like the end of last season, though, it stands to reason that teams will begin focusing on him as the season wears
on.

Post Game Press Conference

Post game from Miami ...

Miami Outlasts UNCG

UNCG 89 - Miami (FL) 99

News & Record Recap
UNCG Athletics Recap
Miami Athletics Recap

Halftime: UNCG 49 - Miami 49

UNCG Stats
Leader Points: Trevis Simpson (36)
Leader Rebounds: Drew Parker (6)
Leader Assists: Drew Parker (10)
Team FG: 32-66 (48.5%)
Team 3 Pt: 11-21 (52.4%)
Team FT: 14-18 (77.8%)
Rebounds: 29
Turnovers: 20

Miami Stats
Leader Points: Kenny Kadji (30)
Leader Rebounds: Kenny Kadji (12)
Leader Assists: Durand Scott (3)
Team FG: 31-59 (52.5%)
Team 3 Pt: 7-20 (35.5%)
Team FT: 30-38 (78.9%)
Rebounds: 38
Turnovers: 18

Thoughts
UNCG had a legitimate chance to defeat a good ACC school on the road. What makes thing seven more encouraging is that they got that chance by playing well, not the opponent playing poor. Miami's size proved to be the big problem on the evening. Kenny Kadji and Reggie Johnson got UNCG in foul trouble and allowed the Canes to live at the free throw line. However, it was the 2nd half Miami 3 point shooting that really hurt UNCG the most.

Trevis Simpson showed why he will be unstoppable come SoCon play. He can hit shots from anywhere and can create his own shot. Plus, his teammates are really looking for him on the break. Derrell Armstrong and Drew Parker did a great job of finding open players. also, I thought it was great to see Kyle Randall step up take his shot with confidence. Randall is a very good player that seems to have spent most of this year really struggling to find his role on the team. I think he can emerge as a very good 2 guard playing along side of Drew Parker.

Also, I thought Armstrong was the victim of a terrible game changing call. I don't normally challenge referee calls, but this one was bad. Down 5, Armstrong was called for a charge on a made basket where the defender clearly had one foot in the restricted circle. On the following Miami possession, the Canes hit a 3 point shot. So, the game should have been a 2 point game, but instead was an 8 point game. UNCG never really threatened from the point forward.

Spiders Pull Away Late

UNCG 58 - Richmond 78

UNCG Athletics Recap
Richmond Athletics Recap

Halftime: UNCG 30 - Richmond 38

UNCG Stats
Leader Points: Nick Paulos (12)
Leader Rebounds: Aloysius Henry (10)
Leader Assists: Drew Parker (3)
Team FG: 23-66 (34.8%)
Team 3 Pt: 6-22 (27.3%)
Team FT: 6-8 (75.0%)
Rebounds: 46
Turnovers: 17

Richmond Stats
Leader Points: Darien Brothers (20)
Leader Rebounds: Darrius Garrett (12)
Leader Assists: Darien Brothers (5)
Team FG: 28-62 (45.2%)
Team 3 Pt: 10-28 (35.7%)
Team FT: 12-16 (75.0%)
Rebounds: 35
Turnovers: 8

Thoughts
UNCG scored the first 12 point after halftime to take a 4 point lead on Richmond. The game remained close until a little before the 8 minute mark. However, with the score tied at 55, UNCG was out scored 23-3 to finish the game.

G is continuing to play very hard, and at times, very well under new coach Wes Miller. However, these late game swoons are becoming a a little too common.

On the bright side, this game saw a re-emergence of Alysius Henry and Nick Paulos. The Spartans will need Henry's rebounding and Paulos's shooting going into conference play. Hopefully, their strong play can continue.

Happy New Year

Hey everybody ... Sorry for the intermittent updating through the holidays. My home computer has crashed and I've been all over the place throughout the holiday season.

Thanks for still hanging with me. New updates are coming.