UNCG Ready For NCAA Tournament
UNC Greensboro heads into the 2018 NCAA Tournament looking to garner the SoCon’s first win in the Big Dance since Davidson made its Elite Eight run in the 2008 tournament.
The Spartans will play in the west region as the No. 13 seed and will face off against the No. 4 seed and 2017 national runner-up Gonzaga Bulldogs in a matchup slated for Taco Bell Arena in Boise, Idaho. Tip-off between the Spartans and Zags is slated for approximately 1:40 p.m. Thursday afternoon, and will be televised live on TNT.
In Gonzaga’s last NCAA Tournament game, it dropped a 71-65 decision to the Roy WIlliams-led North Carolina Tar Heels in the national championship game. Now, the Bulldogs will face another team from Tobacco Road, in the UNCG Spartans. In fact, UNCG head coach Wes Miller was a walk-on for Williams and was a member of the 2005 national championship team. UNCG head coach Wes Miller, of course, was a part of North Carolina’s 2005 National Championship team.
Though it’s a No. 4 vs. No. 13 seed matchup, this could one of the matchups to keep an eye on in the opening round of the tournament. The Spartans enter with a 27-7 record and as Southern Conference regular-season and tournament champions. The Bulldogs, who were 37-1 before losing to North Carolina in the national championship game last year, enter the 2018 NCAA Tournament with a 30-4 record so far this season.
The Zags are under the direction of head coach Mark Few, who is in his 19th season as the head coach, has guided the Zags to some key victories this season, including victories over NCAA Tournament participants Ohio State (W, 86-59) and Texas (W, 76-71). Few has helped the Zags to a 26-18 mark in the NCAA Tournament, and the Zags are 29-20 all-time in the Big Dance. The meeting between UNCG and Gonzaga will mark the first-ever clash on the college basketball hardwood between the two.
UNCG downed East Tennessee State, 62-47, in the SoCon title game to claim its first NCAA Tournament bid since 2001. It’s the Spartans’ third overall appearance, having face both Cincinnati (L, 66-61) in 1996 and Stanford (L, 89-60) in 2001. The No. 13 seed for the Spartans ranks the highest in comparison to their other two NCAA Tournament appearances, with the No. 16 seed in the west in 2001 and the No. 15 seed in the southeast in 1996. Gonzaga claimed the West Coast Conference Tournament crown with a 74-54 win over Brigham Young University.
The Spartans have some notable performances against Atlantic Coast Conference foes this season, including an 81-76 winner at NCAA Tournament bound North Carolina State, and opened the season with a respectable performance, with a 60-48 loss to top overall seed Virginia to open the season. That defeat stands as UNCG’s largest margin of defeat this season.
Gonzaga will be making its 20th-straight NCAA Tournament appearance (21st app. overall). Interestingly enough, the Zags faced Davidson in the 2008 NCAA Tournament opening round clash, with the former Southern Conference team Wildcats knocking off the Zags, 82-76, in Raleigh.
The clash between the Spartans and Zags will be one between great offense vs. great defense. UNCG enters the clash ranked No. 6 nationally in scoring defense (64.2 PPG), while Gonzaga enters the second round clash ranking ninth in scoring offense (84.5 PPG).
The Spartans have been getting it done with defense all season, including holding all three of their opponents in the SoCon Tournament to less than 40% shooting and less than 60 points. In wins over The Citadel and East Tennessee State, the Spartans held the Bulldogs and Bucs to season lows for point totals.
In 34 games this season, the Spartans have held 27 opponents to less than 70 points. When holding opponents to less than 70 points this season, the Spartans are 23-4. UNCG has not allowed more than 82 points in a game this season.
Gonzaga, on the other hand, comes in having posted 70 or more points in 32 of its 34 games this season, with only BYU (68 pts) and San Diego State (69) holding the Zags below that threshhold. Interestingly enough, the Zags ended up with wins over the Cougars and the Aztecs in those two games. The Zags are 28-4 when scoring 70 or more points in a game this season.
Matchups To Watch:
There are some intriguing matchups in both the backcourt and in the frontcourt for this matchup.
In the backcourt, it all starts with UNCG’s sharp-shooter from Malaga, Spain, Francis Alonso (15.6 PPG, 101 assists, 87.4 FT%) enters the tournament having connected on a single-season school record 110 triples so far this season. Through three seasons, the man from the Andalusia region of Spain has connected on 297-career treys. Alonso was a first-team All-SoCon performer this season. Alonso is shooting at a 40.7% clip from so far this season.
Junior point guard Demetrius Troy (7.5 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 53 made 3s) is one of the most underrated point guards in the Southern Conference, posting double figures in all three SoCon Tournament games. Troy had some huge shoes to fill coming into the season, having to replace all-conference point guard Diante Baldwin from a year ago. Troy has done more than hold his own.
If there’s a player to keep an eye on off the UNCG bench in the backcourt, it’s Isaiah Miller (8.5 PPG, 3.2 RPG), who is a high-flyer and exciting player to watch. Miller garnered SoCon All-Freshman Team honors in 2017-18.
Gonzaga counters with a three-guard backcourt that includes Silas Melson (9.5 PPG, 3.0 RPG) Josh Perkins (12.4 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 182 assists), and Zach Norvell, Jr (12.2 PPG, 3.1 RPG). Like UNCG, the Zags have an experienced backcourt and they have three players that can score in a variety of different ways. Perkins is shooting 40.8% (80-of-196) from three this season.
In the paint, keep an eye on center Josh Dickey (8.9 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 71 blocks) for the Spartans. He is the straw that stirs the drink for UNCG, and not only was the SoCon Defensive Player of the Year, but was also the league’s leading shot-blocker.
Despite Dickey’s individual award, Marvin Smith (12.3 PPG, 5.4 RPG) is the team’s best on-the-ball defender, and Groningen, Netherlands native Jordy Kuiper is a big man that is efficient at stepping out and shooting the three. In fact, Kuiper is shooting almost as well from three-point land (34.5%) as he is in the paint (39.8%). He has knocked down 28 triples this season, including two in the crucial championship win over ETSU.
Gonzaga counters with one of the best frontcourts in college hoops. Leading the way is 6-10 power forward Killian Tillie (13.4 PPG, 6.0 RPG), who went an astounding 13-fpr-14 from three-point range in the WCC Tournament.
Who Wins:
Gonzaga 74, UNCG 67
In Gonzaga’s last NCAA Tournament game, it dropped a 71-65 decision to the Roy WIlliams-led North Carolina Tar Heels in the national championship game. Now, the Bulldogs will face another team from Tobacco Road, in the UNCG Spartans. In fact, UNCG head coach Wes Miller was a walk-on for Williams and was a member of the 2005 national championship team. UNCG head coach Wes Miller, of course, was a part of North Carolina’s 2005 National Championship team.
Though it’s a No. 4 vs. No. 13 seed matchup, this could one of the matchups to keep an eye on in the opening round of the tournament. The Spartans enter with a 27-7 record and as Southern Conference regular-season and tournament champions. The Bulldogs, who were 37-1 before losing to North Carolina in the national championship game last year, enter the 2018 NCAA Tournament with a 30-4 record so far this season.
The Zags are under the direction of head coach Mark Few, who is in his 19th season as the head coach, has guided the Zags to some key victories this season, including victories over NCAA Tournament participants Ohio State (W, 86-59) and Texas (W, 76-71). Few has helped the Zags to a 26-18 mark in the NCAA Tournament, and the Zags are 29-20 all-time in the Big Dance. The meeting between UNCG and Gonzaga will mark the first-ever clash on the college basketball hardwood between the two.
UNCG downed East Tennessee State, 62-47, in the SoCon title game to claim its first NCAA Tournament bid since 2001. It’s the Spartans’ third overall appearance, having face both Cincinnati (L, 66-61) in 1996 and Stanford (L, 89-60) in 2001. The No. 13 seed for the Spartans ranks the highest in comparison to their other two NCAA Tournament appearances, with the No. 16 seed in the west in 2001 and the No. 15 seed in the southeast in 1996. Gonzaga claimed the West Coast Conference Tournament crown with a 74-54 win over Brigham Young University.
The Spartans have some notable performances against Atlantic Coast Conference foes this season, including an 81-76 winner at NCAA Tournament bound North Carolina State, and opened the season with a respectable performance, with a 60-48 loss to top overall seed Virginia to open the season. That defeat stands as UNCG’s largest margin of defeat this season.
Gonzaga will be making its 20th-straight NCAA Tournament appearance (21st app. overall). Interestingly enough, the Zags faced Davidson in the 2008 NCAA Tournament opening round clash, with the former Southern Conference team Wildcats knocking off the Zags, 82-76, in Raleigh.
The clash between the Spartans and Zags will be one between great offense vs. great defense. UNCG enters the clash ranked No. 6 nationally in scoring defense (64.2 PPG), while Gonzaga enters the second round clash ranking ninth in scoring offense (84.5 PPG).
The Spartans have been getting it done with defense all season, including holding all three of their opponents in the SoCon Tournament to less than 40% shooting and less than 60 points. In wins over The Citadel and East Tennessee State, the Spartans held the Bulldogs and Bucs to season lows for point totals.
In 34 games this season, the Spartans have held 27 opponents to less than 70 points. When holding opponents to less than 70 points this season, the Spartans are 23-4. UNCG has not allowed more than 82 points in a game this season.
Gonzaga, on the other hand, comes in having posted 70 or more points in 32 of its 34 games this season, with only BYU (68 pts) and San Diego State (69) holding the Zags below that threshhold. Interestingly enough, the Zags ended up with wins over the Cougars and the Aztecs in those two games. The Zags are 28-4 when scoring 70 or more points in a game this season.
Matchups To Watch:
There are some intriguing matchups in both the backcourt and in the frontcourt for this matchup.
In the backcourt, it all starts with UNCG’s sharp-shooter from Malaga, Spain, Francis Alonso (15.6 PPG, 101 assists, 87.4 FT%) enters the tournament having connected on a single-season school record 110 triples so far this season. Through three seasons, the man from the Andalusia region of Spain has connected on 297-career treys. Alonso was a first-team All-SoCon performer this season. Alonso is shooting at a 40.7% clip from so far this season.
Junior point guard Demetrius Troy (7.5 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 53 made 3s) is one of the most underrated point guards in the Southern Conference, posting double figures in all three SoCon Tournament games. Troy had some huge shoes to fill coming into the season, having to replace all-conference point guard Diante Baldwin from a year ago. Troy has done more than hold his own.
If there’s a player to keep an eye on off the UNCG bench in the backcourt, it’s Isaiah Miller (8.5 PPG, 3.2 RPG), who is a high-flyer and exciting player to watch. Miller garnered SoCon All-Freshman Team honors in 2017-18.
Gonzaga counters with a three-guard backcourt that includes Silas Melson (9.5 PPG, 3.0 RPG) Josh Perkins (12.4 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 182 assists), and Zach Norvell, Jr (12.2 PPG, 3.1 RPG). Like UNCG, the Zags have an experienced backcourt and they have three players that can score in a variety of different ways. Perkins is shooting 40.8% (80-of-196) from three this season.
In the paint, keep an eye on center Josh Dickey (8.9 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 71 blocks) for the Spartans. He is the straw that stirs the drink for UNCG, and not only was the SoCon Defensive Player of the Year, but was also the league’s leading shot-blocker.
Despite Dickey’s individual award, Marvin Smith (12.3 PPG, 5.4 RPG) is the team’s best on-the-ball defender, and Groningen, Netherlands native Jordy Kuiper is a big man that is efficient at stepping out and shooting the three. In fact, Kuiper is shooting almost as well from three-point land (34.5%) as he is in the paint (39.8%). He has knocked down 28 triples this season, including two in the crucial championship win over ETSU.
Gonzaga counters with one of the best frontcourts in college hoops. Leading the way is 6-10 power forward Killian Tillie (13.4 PPG, 6.0 RPG), who went an astounding 13-fpr-14 from three-point range in the WCC Tournament.
Who Wins:
Gonzaga 74, UNCG 67
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