Know Your Foe: UNC Greensboro Spartans
2023 record: 11-4 (2-0)
Last game: 70-54 W vs ETSU (January 6)
Head Coach: Mike Jones (3rd year)
Previous stop: HC at Radford University (2011-2021)
Last meeting: Samford W, 83-71 (2023)
TV: ESPN+, Tip: 6:30pm CT
Fun? Fact: Samford has won the last 4 matchups but UNCG had won 11 straight prior in the series.
Team Overview:
Samford is one win away from matching the 1998-1999 Samford team with 14 straight wins but standing in the way is the UNC Greensboro Spartans. UNCG came into this season picked to finish second by the coaches and fourth by the media. In the preseason, looking at the schedule, this is one of three Samford marquee home Southern Conference games (WCU and Furman the other two).
The Spartans are also undefeated early in SoCon play looking to get in the mix with Samford and Western Carolina atop the conference. Styles make fights so let’s dive into what UNCG is bringing down to Homewood.
UNCG, while being a good basketball team, plays at a slower pace than Samford. Most if not all teams in this conference do, but they are in the 290s in adjusted tempo per KenPom (Samford is top 10). Their average possession length is 18.4 seconds as Samford’s is four seconds faster. We say all this to say is that UNCG will look to make this a half-court game offensively. Samford wants to speed every team up picking up full court.
UNCG usually does a good job of not turning the ball over but has 30 turnovers through two SoCon games. Samford’s ability to get teams out of their comfort zone again will be a key in this matchup. Another thing to watch will be UNCG’s size, look for Samford to continue playing a matchup zone to limit this also especially with Jermaine Marshall’s absence.
The Spartans do have two different players averaging more than 14 points per game in Mikeal Brown-Jones and Keyshaun Langley. Brown-Jones, with 18.6 PPG, can score from all levels and is dangerous. Langley averages 14.2 PPG, who had 26 points against Vanderbilt and 23 points in the win at Arkansas. Also look for Keyshaun’s twin brother, Kobe Langley, who shoots 37% from behind the three-point line and averages 9.1 points per game.
Thursday night will be a great atmosphere as the students are back on campus and looking to cheer on their Bulldogs who have won 14 straight games.
How does Samford deal with UNCG’s size and can Achor Achor stay out of foul trouble? I’ll be there. You should be there too.
