Win over Elon Gives UNCG Men’s Basketball Best Start in Program History
GREENSBORO, N.C.– The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men’s basketball team claimed its seventh-straight win behind an 82-73 victory over Piedmont Triad foe Elon Sunday afternoon at the Greensboro Coliseum.
This was the 44th meeting between the two teams. With the win, this gives the 2023-24 team the best start in program history with an 8-1 overall record. The Spartans are also 4-0 at home. The last time UNCG went 4-0 at home to start the season was in 2021-22.
Mikeal Brown-Jones scored a career-high 27 points and 11 rebounds for his second-career double-double. Two other Spartans tallied double-figures, including Donovan Atwell with 16 and Joryam Saizonou with 12.
HOW IT HAPPENED
UNCG got off to a 9-0 lead, before Elon scored its first basket at 17:18. A 10-2 run for the Phoenix cut the deficit to one, 11-10. The Spartans jumped to a double-digit lead for the first time in the game with 8:57 left in the half. UNCG’s Mikeal Brown-Jones dunked for an 11-point advantage, 30-19, as Donovan Atwell followed with his second three-pointer of the game putting the Spartans up 14, 33-19. UNCG utilized an 11-1 run for a 24-point gap, its largest of the game, 44-24. The Phoenix fought back some, closing the gap to 15, 50-35, heading into the locker room. This is the sixth game this season that the Spartans have led and the sixth game ahead by double figures.
Elon had the first basket of the second half at 18:57, before Saizonou made a jumper to put the Spartans up 15, 52-13 with 17:17 remaining. The Phoenix followed with a 13-3 run cutting the deficit to five, 55-50. UNCG led the entire second half, but the Phoenix utilized its 40.54 percent field goal percentage in the second half to cut the deficit to three with 36-seconds left in the half. The Spartans had an 8-1 run to close the half and secure the win, 82-73.
BY THE NUMBERS
Brown-Jones also chipped in a career-high four blocks.
UNCG outmatched Elon in field goals, 45.9 percent to 36.2 percent.
The Spartans also had a 35.7 percent three-point percentage compared to the Phoenix 30.8 percent.
UNCG had 30 points in the paint compared Elon’s 26 points.
This is the seventh game this season where three or more Spartans scored double digits.
RECORDS
UNCG: 8-1
Elon: 5-5
UP NEXT
The Spartans will hit the road for two-straight games, beginning with Marshall on Saturday, December 16 with a start time of 7:00 p.m. in Huntington, West Virginia at the Cam Henderson Center.
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TICKETS
To purchase tickets for the 2023-24 UNCG men’s basketball season, click here to learn more or call the UNCG Athletics Ticket Office at (336) 334-3250.
Courtesy of Denise Archetto
Assistant Athletic Director For Strategic Communications
UNC Greensboro