Today commences the 2018-19 Southern Conference previews, as I take a look at each of the 10 teams with in-depth previews and analysis. Don't forget to check out the SoCon Preview at midmajormadness.com, which is set to drop Oct. 15. Special thanks to UNC Greensboro sports information for providing the information for this preview.
UNC Greensboro--Wes Miller and the UNC Greensboro Spartans have a new sharp logo and a very good basketball team. Over the past three seasons, no one in the Southern Conference has won more basketball games than the Spartans have, which includes a pair of Southern Conference regular-season crowns, a SoCon Tournament tournament title last season, a pair of trips to the championship game of the league tournament each of the past two seasons, and three non-conference sponsored postseason appearances, including trips to the NIT and NCAA Tournament each of the past two seasons, respectively.
The Spartans have won 67 games over the past three campaigns, and though the losses of starters of veterans Marvin Smith Jr (12.0 PPG, 5.4 RPG) and Jordy Kuiper (7.1 PPG, 4.8 RPG) to graduation will be felt, the three starters returning give the Spartans a real opportunity of repeating the feat of a year ago.
Senior guard and native of Malaga, Spain Francis Alonso (15.6 PPG, 2.4 RPG) gives the Spartans one of the league’s best scoring threats, not only from the perimeter, but anywhere on the floor. James Dickey, who was the league’s defensive player of the year last season, gives the Spartans a rim protector as good as any in mid-major basketball.
The x-factor this season, however, might be the third of those returning starters--Demetrius Troy (7.7 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 132 assists, 46 steals), who it could be argued, was one of the top players on the team and in the SoCon over the last month of the season.
Previewing the UNCG Backcourt:
UNCG is building its program identity, and it has primarily started in the backcourt, where the Spartans have developed two of the top defensive guards in the Southern Conference, with both Demetrius Troy (7.7 PPG, 2.3 RPG, ) and Francis Alonso (15.6 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 2.9 APG, 111 three-point FGs, 40.1% from three-point range, 86.9% from FT line) returning to the fold for the Spartans. Troy is a player that was extremely instrumental in helping the Spartans to the Southern Conference Tournament title last season.
Those two players, and that experience in the backcourt will be one of the major reasons the Spartans will be considered the favorites to win the SoCon men’s basketball title in 2018-19. The SoCon has two of the best shooters in Division I college basketball, and one of those players is obviously Alonso. Alonso is sometimes forgotten as a shooter in the SoCon media, as well as nationally, due in large part to the career Fletcher Magee has put together at Wofford, but as any coach around the SoCon and they will tell you Alonso is as lethal a perimeter shooter as they come in mid-major college basketball.
So far in his career, Alonso ranks second in program history with 297 three-point field goals, and is third in school history in three-point field goal percentage, shooting at an amazing 42.1% from three-point land for his career. He ranked 16th nationally in three-point field goal percentage last season. Alonso currently already ranks tops in school history in free throw percentage, connecting on 86.8%
from the line for his career
This season, Alonso needs just 13 more triples to set a new school all-time mark, with 310 career three-point makes, as he would surpass former Spartan great Scott Hartzell’s (1993-96) 309 triples.
Last season, Alonso was asked to do less scoring than his first two years, but he did it more consistently than in his first couple of seasons in the Blue and Gold. The 6-3, 185-lb senior from Malaga, Spain, became the 24th player in UNCG history to eclipse the 1,000-point plateau for his career when he posted a career-high 32-point performance in a 79-66 win over the Blue Hens last November.
He enters his final season as a Spartan with 1,494-career points for the Spartans, which ranks him eighth all-time in program in scoring entering his final season as a Spartan.
Last season, Alonso connected on a single-season program record 111 triples, including finishing the season shooting 40.1% (111-of-277) to finish the campaign ranking ninth in the SoCon in three-point field goal percentage, while his 111 makes from long range, ranked him third behind only Wofford’s Magee (148) and The Citadel’s Matt Frierson (114). His average of 15.6 PPG ranked Alonso ranked him second to only Wofford’s Magee (22.1 PPG) last season.
Alonso was the Southern Conference Tournament Most Valuable Performer, and garnered First-Team All-SoCon honors each of the past two seasons. Perhaps even more impressive than what Alonso does with the ball is what he does off the ball to put himself in position to score the basketball in a variety different ways.
As a junior last season, Troy distributed the ball extremely well, and will enter his final season as the eighth-leading assist man in program history. It could certainly be argued that without the services of Troy, who was a SoCon All-Tournament selection, the Spartans would not have won the SoCon Tournament last March.
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| UNCG senior guard Demetrius Troy |
Troy added 7.7 points per game and 2.3 rebounds per game. His 53 three-pointers were third on the team, and his 38.7 percent shooting clip from long range ranked 12th overall in the SoCon.
Troy seemingly made big shot after big shot for the Spartans against the same three opponents in the conference tournament in Asheville it had faced a year earlier.
He posted double-figure scoring performances in all three of UNCG’s tournament games in Asheville last season, posting 14 points, four boards and three assists in the 72-58 win over The Citadel Bulldogs in the SoCon quarterfinals.
In the narrow, 56-55, semifinal win over Wofford, Troy posted 13 points, four rebounds, and had a pair of assists. Then, in the 62-47 win over East Tennessee State in the SoCon championship game, Troy added 14 points and four rebounds. The Spartans went on to lose a heartbreaking, 68-64, game to Gonzaga in the NCAA Tournament. The Spartans were oh so close to getting the SoCon’s first tournament win since Steph Curry and Davidson accomplished their Elite Eight run in 2008.
In the regular-season, the Spartans were officially in a title chase following a 74-56 win over the Bucs in Greensboro on Feb. 12, putting an end to what had been a program-best tying 17-straight wins for the Bucs. In that game, Troy had played one of his best games of the 2017-18 season, posting a season-high 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field, including a perfect 4-for-4 from three-point range.The Spartans had lost an early conference game, 68-58, to the Bucs in Johnson City.
Rounding out the potential starting trio in the UNCG backcourt is 6-0 guard Isaiah Miller (8.5 PPG, 3.2 RPG,), who was a SoCon All-Freshman team selection last season and is one of the best athletes the Southern Conference, producing some highlight-reel type dunks in his first season as a Spartan. Miller scored a career-high 19 points in an early-season win over Ferrum last season.
In the Southern Conference title win over East Tennessee State last March, Miller was a perfect 3-for-3 from the field and 2-for-2 from the charity stripe, while also adding five boards and three steals to help key UNCG’s first trip to the NCAA Tournament in nearly two decades.
With the graduation of Marvin Smith, Jr., Miller could be asked to take on more of a scoring role for the Spartans this season. Miller played in 34 of 35 games last season, however, did not start a game, averaging 16.3 minutes-per-game. Miller did not shoot the ball much from long-range a year ago, connecting on just 1-of-11 shots from long range.
Veterans Kylia Sykes (2.0 PPG, 1.3 RPG) and Malik Massey (3.6 PPG, 0.9 RPG) return to give depth in the backcourt, with Sykes being a potential starter. At 6-5, Sykes would equate as more of a natural replacement for Marvin Smith, Jr. at the three.
Sykes has good size and is athletic enough to be a factor on both ends of the floor, but like Miller, will be expected to step up his scoring in the absence of all-conference guard Marvin Smith, Jr., who has graduated. Sykes also equates as a good defensive presence in the backcourt or as a swingman in the post with his athleticism.
The redshirt sophmore saw action in 34 of 35 games for the Spartans last season, averaging 10.4 minutes-per-game. Sykes posted a career-high 11 points for the pre-SoCon play win over Southeastern. Sykes also posted 10 points in a win over Ferrum. Though he was only 7-for-22 from three-point land last season, he will be another threat to step out and shoot the basketball from the perimeter this season.
Massey, a 6-3 junior guard, saw action in 35 games during the 2017-18 season, averaging 15.4 minutes-per-game last season, and was a good defensive presence in his floor time for the Spartans last season. He also is a good distributor of the basketball on the off ensive end of the floor. He completed the 2017-18 season with 29 assists, as well as contributing 17 steals on the defensive end a season ago.
Other contributors in the backcourt for the Spartans this season figure to be newcomers Ryan Tankelewicz (Middle Creek High School/Raleigh, N.C.), Ryan Kostanzer (First Flight HS/Kill Devil Hills, N.C.), Kaleb Hunter (Neuse Christian Academy/Raleigh, N.C.) and Michael Huiett, Jr. (transfer from Old Dominion/Fayetteville, N.C.) could all see some action as key members of the backcourt this season. Both Huiett, Jr. and Konstanzer will be sophomores, while Tankelewicz and Hunter will freshmen.
Tankelewicz, a 5-11, 170-lb true freshman from Raleigh, N.C., was a standout at Middle Creek High School in Apex, N.C. For his career at Middle Creek, he averaged 14.8 PPG and garnered second team all-conference honors in the South Wake Athletic Conference as a senior in 2017-18.
Tankelewicz finished his career as the program’s all-time record-holder for three-pointers made, and finished ranked seventh in school history in scoring. His brother Tom Tankelewicz, who is the video coordinator for the men’s basketball program, was a standout three-point shooter at Western Carolina from 2011-14 before playing overseas in Kosovo for KB Bashkimi Basketball Club in Kosovo. Like his older brother, Ryan Tankelewicz is a pure shooter and will be a three-point specialist for the Spartans.
Hunter, a 6-4, 190-lb redshirt freshman guard from Raleigh, N.C., played his prep basketball at Neuse Christian Academy, where he was rated as the No. 5 recruit in the state of North Carolina for 2017 by Prep Hoops North Carolina. Hunter missed his senior season due to injury, and red-shirted his first season as a member of the UNCG basketball program.
As a junior, Hunter was named NCISSA All-State following a season which saw him average 24.0 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 41. APG, helping lead the Lions to a 19-12 regular-season final record in the 2016-17 season. Hunter was well-decorated during his prep career, as he was named First-Team All-Central District and All-Conference as a junior, and played AAU hoops for the same team that produced Demetrius Troy--Team Loaded--and was the team’s third-leading scorer in the MakePlayz Breakout Classic, averaging 19.7 PPG.
Konstanzer sat out last season with an injury, but like Hunter and Tankelewicz, enjoyed a solid prep career, starring in coastal North Carolina for First Flight High School in Kill Devil Hills, N.C. Konstanzer finished as his prep program’s all-time leading scorer, posting 1,582 points during his standout career. He scored 20 or more points on 27 occasions during his prep career, and like Tankelewicz, the 5-11, 165-lb guard was an excellent long-range shooting threat, as he finished his career with 230-career triples, which is also a school record.
All told, Konstanzer finished his career with five different program records, included his two aforementioned career statistical standards. Konstanzer also holds the program’s single-game points, posting 51 points in a game against Bertie High School during the 2014-15 season.
Huiett, Jr. rounds out the players that could see action in a reserve role for Wes Miller’s program this season. Huiett, Jr., like Konstanzer, will be a redshirt sophomore this season. He played for head coach Jeff Jones at Old Dominion, where he saw action in 13 games for the Conference USA members. In a game during the 2016-17 season, Huiett, Jr. recorded career highs of 12 points, nine boards and three assists in a game against Maryland Eastern-Shore. Huiett, Jr. sat out last season per NCAA Division I transfer rules.
During his prep career at Northwood Temple High School in Fayetteville, Huiett, Jr., a 6-3, 165-lb guard, averaged an impressive 27.9 PPG, 7.6 RPG and dished out 5.2 APG. Another tremendous shooter, Huiett, Jr. broke the Tar Heel State record for three-pointers made in a game with 16 as a senior, and is Northwood Temple High School’s all-time leading scorer.
Three of the four newcomers to the program have had at least one season to get acclimated to their surroundings and head coach Wes Miller’s system. The trio also got to be around what was a tremendous run through the Southern Conference regular-season and tourament last season, getting to experience the winning culture being developed by the young head coach.
Huiett, Jr. rounds out the players that could see action in a reserve role for Wes Miller’s program this season. Huiett, Jr., like Konstanzer, will be a redshirt sophomore this season. He played for head coach Jeff Jones at Old Dominion, where he saw action in 13 games for the Conference USA members. In a game during the 2016-17 season, Huiett, Jr. recorded career highs of 12 points, nine boards and three assists in a game against Maryland Eastern-Shore. Huiett, Jr. sat out last season per NCAA Division I transfer rules.
During his prep career at Northwood Temple High School in Fayetteville, Huiett, Jr., a 6-3, 165-lb guard, averaged an impressive 27.9 PPG, 7.6 RPG and dished out 5.2 APG. Another tremendous shooter, Huiett, Jr. broke the Tar Heel State record for three-pointers made in a game with 16 as a senior, and is Northwood Temple High School’s all-time leading scorer.
Three of the four newcomers to the program have had at least one season to get acclimated to their surroundings and head coach Wes Miller’s system. The trio also got to be around what was a tremendous run through the Southern Conference regular-season and tourament last season, getting to experience the winning culture being developed by the young head coach.
The only exception to that rule, of course, is Tankelewicz, who will enter his true freshman season, however, has likely been coached up a little on the culture and the SoCon in general by his brother, who was a sharp-shooter and standout player in his own right, at Western Carolina, as mentioned above.
Overall, you would be hard-pressed to find three better starting guards in the SoCon than Alonso, Troy and Miller, and that’s with the graduation of Marvin Smith, Jr., who could really play the two or the three, at 6-5, last season. The Spartans may be a little smaller in that regard if Miller starts over Sykes or Massey, but that may depend on the opposition’s size as well.
One thing is for sure, and that is that while the Spartans will certainly missed the ability of Marvin Smith, Jr., to stretch the floor with the ability to step out and shoot the three or go inside, they are certainly no less talented in what they have returning to the fold for the 2017-18 season. Tankelewicz being a true freshman coming into the backcourt, and with the depth already returning in the backcourt for the 2018-19 season, might be the lone candidate to redshirt this season.
Overall, you would be hard-pressed to find three better starting guards in the SoCon than Alonso, Troy and Miller, and that’s with the graduation of Marvin Smith, Jr., who could really play the two or the three, at 6-5, last season. The Spartans may be a little smaller in that regard if Miller starts over Sykes or Massey, but that may depend on the opposition’s size as well.
One thing is for sure, and that is that while the Spartans will certainly missed the ability of Marvin Smith, Jr., to stretch the floor with the ability to step out and shoot the three or go inside, they are certainly no less talented in what they have returning to the fold for the 2017-18 season. Tankelewicz being a true freshman coming into the backcourt, and with the depth already returning in the backcourt for the 2018-19 season, might be the lone candidate to redshirt this season.
Previewing the UNCG Frontcourt:
Junior center and reigning SoCon Defensive Player of the Year James Dickey will once again be the leader in the UNCG frontcourt
Much has been made and will be made of the talent returning and the talented acquired in recruiting for Miller’s Spartans during the recruiting season, and at least on paper, the Spartans look to not only have one of the top front lines in the Southern Conference, but also in all of mid-major basketball for the upcoming 2018-19 season.
It’s often been said that having a dominant big man at the mid-major level is hard to find, but when you find one, you become not only an instant contender within your conference, but also to make some noise in the NCAA postseason.
The Spartans return one of the most dominant big men in all of mid-major college hoops, in 6-10, 200-lb junior center James Dickey (8.9 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 53.6 FG%, league-leading 71 blocks, 27 steals).
Dickey heads into the 2018-19 season as the league’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year last season, as well as being a Second Team All-SoCon honoree in 2017-18. His 71 blocks in a single-season were the fourth-most in the regular-season in school history. He has 114 blocks through his first two seasons as the starting center for the Spartans, and in his final two campaigns in the Gate City, will need 236 blocks in his final two campaigns to break Kyle Hines’ (2004-08) school record of 349-career blocked shots.
Junior center and reigning SoCon Defensive Player of the Year James Dickey will once again be the leader in the UNCG frontcourt
Much has been made and will be made of the talent returning and the talented acquired in recruiting for Miller’s Spartans during the recruiting season, and at least on paper, the Spartans look to not only have one of the top front lines in the Southern Conference, but also in all of mid-major basketball for the upcoming 2018-19 season.
It’s often been said that having a dominant big man at the mid-major level is hard to find, but when you find one, you become not only an instant contender within your conference, but also to make some noise in the NCAA postseason.
The Spartans return one of the most dominant big men in all of mid-major college hoops, in 6-10, 200-lb junior center James Dickey (8.9 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 53.6 FG%, league-leading 71 blocks, 27 steals).
Dickey heads into the 2018-19 season as the league’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year last season, as well as being a Second Team All-SoCon honoree in 2017-18. His 71 blocks in a single-season were the fourth-most in the regular-season in school history. He has 114 blocks through his first two seasons as the starting center for the Spartans, and in his final two campaigns in the Gate City, will need 236 blocks in his final two campaigns to break Kyle Hines’ (2004-08) school record of 349-career blocked shots.
Dickey was to UNCG what Troy was in the backcourt in the 2017-18 season--a leader and a player that did all of the things that don’t necessarily show up on a stats sheet to help the Spartans to the title. He was the catalyst for one of the top defensive basketball teams in the country last season. And though not known as a scorer necessarily on the offensive end of the floor, his ability to hit shots in the clutch was another thing often that goes un-noticed about Dickey’s offensive floor game.
Something that didn’t too often go un-noticed by any coach or fan of Southern Conference and mid-major hoops last season, was Dickey’s ability to allow his team second and third attempts on the offensive end of the floor with his ability to hit the offensive glass. Dickey not only led the Southern Conference in rebounding, he also led the SoCon in offensive rebounds per game, averaging 2.9 RPG on the offensive glass last season. His 5.5 defensive rebounds-per-game last season ranked him third in the SoCon.
Dickey’s 2.2 blocks-per-game last season ranked him 33rd among all players in the NCAA last season. Dickey enjoyed a career night in the Spartans’ loss at Presbyterian last season, scoring a career-best 18 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for his first double-double of the season. It would be the start of what woul be a big season for the then-sophomore center, who also added a huge performance in the SoCon championship game, with nine points, five blocks and eight rebounds in the title game win over East Tennessee State.
With the graduation of Jordy Kuiper, Dickey will have someone new teaming with him underneath the basket for the Spartans for the upcoming season. Mohammed Abdulsalam (Link Prep/Branson, Missouri/Oya State/Nigeria) is one of the top recruits in the SoCon and mid-major hoops this season, and the 6-9, 255-lb power forward was rated as a three/four-star prospect by most recruiting web sites and publications. Abdulsalam was sought after by some major Division I collegiate programs, including Georgia Tech, Tennessee and Providence.
Prior to his time at Link Prep, Abdulsalam originally made a name for himself at Greenforest Christian Academy in where he helped lead his team to two state titles, including a 27-5 mark during his junior campaign there. During that same junior season, Abdulsalam displayed his dominance by averaging a double-double per game, averaging 12.0 PPG and 10.0 RPG. He played his AAU hoops with the Georgia Stars, averaging 15 PPG and 12 RPG.
Abdulsalam, with his size and strength underneath the basket, would equate as a natural compliment to the athleticism and defensive prowess of Dickey underneath the hoop for the Spartans.
Other than Abdulsalam, players like 6-8, 215-lb Kyrin Galloway (4.1 PPG, 3.4 RPG) could also equate as that starter underneath alongside Dickey, and Galloway adds a different element to the fold with his ability to step out and shoot from the perimeter.
Galloway was a key presence on the defensive end of the floor last season, ranking 13th in the SoCon in blocks-per-game last season (0.6 BPG). Galloway might be the better option for Miller as a starter alongside Dickey, at least to start the season with, thanks in large part to what his does on the defensive end of the floor.
Galloway probably would be known as UNCG’s defensive enforcer if it weren’t for Dickey’s presence already in the paint as a rim protector for the Spartans.
At times last season, Galloway showed the ability to step out and shoot the three last season, adding an extra dimension to his game, being a threat to hit the occasional outside shot (12-of-44/27.3%), although neither he nor Dickey will possess the type of perimeter game Kuiper possessed when he was on the floor for the Spartans last season.
Galloway scored a career and season-high of 15 points, including going 6-for-7 from the and hit his only shot from beyond the arc in the 88-75 win over the Bulldogs, helping UNCG clint the outright Southern Conference regular-season title. Last season, Galloway saw an average of 19.7 minutes-per-game.
Veterans Lloyd Burgess (1.3 PPG, 1.9 RPG) and Wichita State transfer Eric Hamilton (4.6 PPG, 1.3 RPG at Wichita State in 2016-17) could also play big roles as part of the rotation underneath the basket this season for the Spartans. Burgess, a 6-11, 270-lb senior center from Durham, N.C., saw action in only five games last season, but he could play a more integral role for the Spartans this season.
The Spartan coaching staff is particularly high on Hamilton, who arrived from Wichita State a year ago, and sat out the 2017-18 season and will have two years of eligibilty remaining as a Spartan.
Like Galloway and Abdulsalam, Hamilton will have a chance to start under the basket alongside Dickey, giving the Spartans at least two athletic, twin towers underneath the basket at any given point in a basketball game this season. Despite the losses of Smith and Kuiper, it could be argued that the Spartans could even be more talented underneath the basket, with reputable depth to boot.
Hamilton, a 6-9, 250-lb native of Duluth, GA comes into the season as one of the better athletes on the front line for UNCG. During his time at Wichita State, Hamilton saw action in 47 games and scored 105 points and grabbed 69 rebounds during his two seasons with the Shockers. He was able to connect on 52.3% of his shots from the field while with the Shockers.
Coming out of Sunrise Academy in 2015, Hamilton was rated as a three-star recruit by Rivals.com, and averaged 14.8 PPG and 8.1 RPG in his final season as a prep.
Angelo Allegri (Link Prep/Branson, MO) is another newcomer that could also be an immediate contributorsfor the Spartans this season. Allegri came to UNCG along with Abdulsalam as part of kind of a package deal after starring at Link Prep in Branson, MO.
The 6-7, 205-lb forward spent his junior and senior seasons at Link Prep, where he averaged 20 PPG and nine boards as a junior, garnering All-Eastern Kansas honors. He was a nominee for Gatorade Player of the Year during his senior season. In his time at Thomas Aquinas High School prior to his time at Link Prep, he helped lead his program to a league title along with a school-best 24-4 record, and he tied the school record with 34 points in a game.
Allegri is a long, well-skilled player in the paint and like Abdulsalam, will eter the UNCG program ready to play right away. Not only is he a well-rounded scorer, with the ability to step out and be a threat on the perimeter, he is also a presence on the defensive end of the floor.
Allegri is a long, well-skilled player in the paint and like Abdulsalam, will eter the UNCG program ready to play right away. Not only is he a well-rounded scorer, with the ability to step out and be a threat on the perimeter, he is also a presence on the defensive end of the floor.
Rounding out the newcomers in the frontcourt will be Khyre Thompson (Wesleyan Academy/Kernersville, N.C). A 6-6, 175-lb true freshman from nearby Kernersville, N.C., Thompson comes to UNCG after having been coached by Keith Gatlin at Wesleyan Christian Academy.
He is a good athlete and was an all-conference performer as a senior. He’ll be a candidate to redshirt, however, with so many other polished players coming in during the past two recruiting classes for Miller.
Schedule Preview:
The UNCG Spartans will play a challenging non-conference slate during the 2018-19 basketball season, and one that could help chart the course for a second-straight Southern Conference title and subsequent NCAA Tournament bid. The 2018-19 slate will feature three teams expected to finish in the upper echelon of the SEC this season, along with teams from the CAA, Conference USA, Big South, MEAC and SWAC.
The Spartans will open the 2018-19 basketball season against cross-town rival North Carolina A&T on Nov. 6, which is different from the previous season, which saw UNCG open up against ACC foe Virginia.
The Spartans will face the Aggies across town at the Corbett Sports Center on the campus of North Carolina A&T. It will mark the 19th meeting between the two programs, and first since the 2016-17 season, when UNCG was able to get an 83-66 win over the Aggies at the Greensboro Coliseum.
The Aggies are coming a 20-15 season a year ago, which included an 11-5 record inside of conference, and that was good enough to see the Aggies all the way to a postseason invite, playing in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament last season. The Aggies won 20 games for the first time in five years, and went unbeaten at home for the first time in three decades (13-0).
The Aggies, who are led by the 2017-18 MEAC Coach of the Year Joy Joyner, who enters his fourth-year at the helm of the North Carolina A&T basketball program, with most feeling that this season’s club expected to finish somewhere between the upper half-middle of the MEAC.
Joyner will be welcoming 10 new players into the fold, however, will have senior forward Femi Olujobi (16.3 PPG, 7.7 RPG) back, who was a second-team All-MEAC selection last season and will likely be a preseason favorite to be a first-teamer this season. The Aggies will enter the season opener for both clubs with a 13-game winning streak.
The Spartans will get their first chance at one of the power five big boys just three days later, playing on the road at the Pete Maravich Center against the LSU Tigers, who come off an 18-15 season and an NIT appearance under former Chattanooga head coach Will Wade, who will be entering season at the helm of the program.
The Tigers had to deal with some tragic news just prior to the start of the 2018-19 season, with the tragic death of forward Wayde Sims, who was shot in a restaraunt while out with friends on Sept. 28. Sims, who started 10 games last season for the Tigers, and was expected to be in the running for a starting spot this season.
Still, the Tigers, who brought in a Top 5 recruiting class, are expected to be on the fringes of the Top 25 entering the season, and should have one of the top backcourts in the SEC this season, with the return of double-figure scorers Tremont Waters (15.9 PPG, 6.0 APG) and Skylar Mays (11.3 PPG, 4.0 RPG) both returning at point guard adn shooting guard, respectively.
The third and final game of the three-game road swing to start the season will be when the Spartans travel to Trask Coliseum to meet the UNC Wilmington Seahawks out of the Colonial Athletic Association on Nov. 16. The Seahawks struggled last season, finishing with an 11-21 record, including just a 7-11 conference mark a year earlier.
The struggles in 2017-18 season came on the heels of a CAA title and NCAA Tournament appearance during the 2016-17 season, and the Spartans and Seahawks met last season at the Greensboro Coliseum, where the Spartans were able to hold off a late rally from UNCW for a 71-58 win last December.
The Seahawks will still have one of the top players in mid-major hoops around, in Devontae Cacok around, who averaged 17.5 PPG and a nation-leading 13.5 RPG last season. It will mark just the eighth all-time meeting between the two programs, with the Spartans leading the series 4-3.
UNCG will open its home slate on Nov. 16 against Johnson & Wales before facing Prairie View A&M out of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) on Nov. 19. Johnson & Wales is coming off a 10-15 season at the Division II level a year ago, while Prairie View A&M was 16-18 last season, but expected to finish in the upper half of the SWAC this season, will feature two of the league’s top guards, in rising senior Gary Blackston (19.2 PPG/116 assists) and JUCO transfer Dennis Jones.
The game against Johnson & Wales will be part of the Delaware Invitational Tournament, which will also feature a pair of road games.
Blackston was a First-Team All-SWAC performer last season, and posted one of his most impressive performance in a win over perennial Sun Belt power Georgia State in an early-season non-conference tournament, posting 21 points and 10 assists in the win. Blackston will be a candidate for preseason SWAC Player of the Year. Twelve of Prairie View’s 18 wins came in SWAC play, as the Panthers finished 12-6 in the league and made it all the way to the semifinals of the conference tournament.
On Nov. 23, the Spartans return to the road, facing a pair of opponents in Newark, Delaware, first facing the Blue Hens on their home floor, and then face Louisiana Tech out of Conference USA on Nov. 24. The Blue Hens were 14-19 a year ago overall, while completing the season with a 6-12 record in Colonial Athletic Association League play. The game against Delaware marks the second of three opponents out of the CAA for the Spartans.
It will mark the first meeting between the Spartans and Blue Hens since 2006, and sixth overall, with the Blue Hens holding a 3-2 series edge. The Spartans, however, won the last meeting between the two, with a 74-64 victory at the Fleming Gym back in December of 2006.
Blackston was a First-Team All-SWAC performer last season, and posted one of his most impressive performance in a win over perennial Sun Belt power Georgia State in an early-season non-conference tournament, posting 21 points and 10 assists in the win. Blackston will be a candidate for preseason SWAC Player of the Year. Twelve of Prairie View’s 18 wins came in SWAC play, as the Panthers finished 12-6 in the league and made it all the way to the semifinals of the conference tournament.
On Nov. 23, the Spartans return to the road, facing a pair of opponents in Newark, Delaware, first facing the Blue Hens on their home floor, and then face Louisiana Tech out of Conference USA on Nov. 24. The Blue Hens were 14-19 a year ago overall, while completing the season with a 6-12 record in Colonial Athletic Association League play. The game against Delaware marks the second of three opponents out of the CAA for the Spartans.
It will mark the first meeting between the Spartans and Blue Hens since 2006, and sixth overall, with the Blue Hens holding a 3-2 series edge. The Spartans, however, won the last meeting between the two, with a 74-64 victory at the Fleming Gym back in December of 2006.
Guards Ryan Allen (15.3, 2.5 RPG) and Kevin Anderson (13.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG) return to the fold, but the Blue Hens will have to deal with a major loss, as the Blue Hens lose guard and leading scorer Ryan Daly (17.5 PPG, 6.2 RPG), who opted to transfer to Saint Joseph’s for his final season of eligibility.
The very next day, the Spartans will battle Louisiana Tech--the second team from the Pelican State that the Spartans will face in the non-conference--taking on the Bulldogs out of Conference USA in the final game of the Delaware Invitational. The Bulldogs are coming off a 17-16 overall mark last season, which included a 7-11.
That lack-luster season for Lousiana Tech came on the heels of five-straight 23-win seasons. The Bulldogs will look to get back to their winning ways this season, returning guard and C-USA Freshman of the Year DaQuay Bracey (12.4 PPG, 4.1 APG) from last season.
It will mark just the second ever meeting between the Spartans and Bulldogs, with the only other meeting seeing the Bulldogs claim a 99-62 win over the Spartans in the Gulf Coast Showcase back on Nov. 25, 2013--almost five years to the day from what will be the second meeting between the two.
The final three games that remain great appetizers of the non-conference slate heading into the 2018-19 season will take place on the road against Kentucky (Dec. 1) and Elon (Dec. 7) to open the final month of non-conference play.
Kentucky is, of course, the most appetizing game of the non-league slate, as the Spartans will travel to Lexington and one of the most historic arenas in college hoops--Rupp Arena--on Dec.1. Kentucky will once again be one of the favorites to win the national title, having signed three four-star prospects, including Stanford transfer forward Reid Travis (19.5 PPG, 8.7 RPG), who sat out last year. ETSU took on Kentucky last year, and hung around awhile before losing, 78-61.
The very next day, the Spartans will battle Louisiana Tech--the second team from the Pelican State that the Spartans will face in the non-conference--taking on the Bulldogs out of Conference USA in the final game of the Delaware Invitational. The Bulldogs are coming off a 17-16 overall mark last season, which included a 7-11.
That lack-luster season for Lousiana Tech came on the heels of five-straight 23-win seasons. The Bulldogs will look to get back to their winning ways this season, returning guard and C-USA Freshman of the Year DaQuay Bracey (12.4 PPG, 4.1 APG) from last season.
It will mark just the second ever meeting between the Spartans and Bulldogs, with the only other meeting seeing the Bulldogs claim a 99-62 win over the Spartans in the Gulf Coast Showcase back on Nov. 25, 2013--almost five years to the day from what will be the second meeting between the two.
The final three games that remain great appetizers of the non-conference slate heading into the 2018-19 season will take place on the road against Kentucky (Dec. 1) and Elon (Dec. 7) to open the final month of non-conference play.
Kentucky is, of course, the most appetizing game of the non-league slate, as the Spartans will travel to Lexington and one of the most historic arenas in college hoops--Rupp Arena--on Dec.1. Kentucky will once again be one of the favorites to win the national title, having signed three four-star prospects, including Stanford transfer forward Reid Travis (19.5 PPG, 8.7 RPG), who sat out last year. ETSU took on Kentucky last year, and hung around awhile before losing, 78-61.
The Spartans will also make their first trip to the Schar Center when they face cross-town rival and former SoCon foe Elon on Dec. 7, as the two will be meeting for the 31st time, with Elon holding a 26-14 all-time series edge. UNCG begins defense of its regular-season and tournament SoCon titles on Dec. 22 at Samford.
Final Outlook:
Final Outlook:
If the Spartans defend the way they did last season, it would be hard to imagine anyone than say Wofford, ETSU or possibly Furman having a chance at un-seating the reigning champs.
Projected Starting Five:
G--Demetrius Troy
G--Francis Alonso
G--Isaiah Miller
F--James Dickey
F--Eric Hamilton
First off the Bench:
G/F--Kyrin Galloway
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