GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men's basketball team hits the road for a Midwest battle against UIC on Monday before turning around and hosting Lees-McRae on Wednesday.
The Spartans and Flames will meet inside Credit Union 1 Arena in Chicago, Illinois, for their second matchup in program history. UNCG has the 1-0 edge after a 58-57 win on Nov. 26, 2023, when the Blue & Gold won the Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championship in The Bahamas.
UNCG will then return to Greensboro to host in-state Division II opponent Lees-McRae on Wednesday inside Bodford Arena at 7:00 p.m. This will be the Bobcats' season opener. This will also be the second matchup between the two teams, as the Spartans have the 1-0 advantage, following an 86-47 win on Jan. 9, 2013.
Game 3: UNC Greensboro (1-1) at UIC (2-0)
Date: Monday, Nov. 9
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Time: 7:00 p.m. ET | 6:00 p.m. CT
Location: Chicago, Ill. (Credit Union 1 Arena)
Tickets: Click here to purchase tickets
Coverage: Live stats: Click here | Video: ESPN+
Social media: Twitter: @UNCGBasketball | Instagram: @uncgbasketball | Facebook: UNCGmbb
Game 4: UNC Greensboro (1-1) vs. Lees-McRae (0-0)
Date: Wednesday, Nov. 11
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Greensboro, N.C. (Bodford Arena)
Tickets: Click here to purchase tickets
Promotions: Military/First Responder Appreciation Day
Coverage: Live stats: Click here | Video: ESPN+
Last time out for the Spartans
- UNCG fell to Piedmont Triad rival Elon on Friday, 74-65, inside Schar Center.
- RJ Greer led the Spartans with career bests in points (18), three-pointers made (4) and steals (2).
- Dionte Neal and Jon Mani both scored a career-best 16 points apiece, and Cameron Grant added 11 points.
- Elon held a 45-22 rebounding advantage, including 14 offensive boards.
- The Spartans outmatched the Phoenix in three-point percentage (28.6-22.2) and free throw percentage (81.8-76.2), while Elon edged UNCG in field goal percentage (46.6-42.1).
- UNCG made eight three-pointers, while Elon made four.
Scouting the Spartans
- This is the first season under head coach Jerod Haase for the Spartans. He was announced as the 12th head coach on March 18, 2026.
- UNCG went 15-19 overall and 9-9 in The Southern Conference (SoCon) in the 2025-26 season, reaching the conference semifinals.
- Among the nation, UNCG concluded the season ranked 45th in free throw attempts per game (23.8), 61st in three-point percentage (36.1) and 63rd in free throws made per game (16.8).
- The Spartans finished first in the SoCon in three-point percentage (36.1), second in free throw attempts per game (23.8) and third in defensive rebounds per game (25.35).
- The 2026-27 roster features two returners and 12 newcomers, which includes four freshmen and eight transfers.
- Greer is pacing the team with 16.5 points per game, while three others are averaging double digits, including Grant (15.0), Neal (15.0) and Mani (13.0).
- Grant is leading the team with 7.0 rebounds per game, while Mani is second averaging 6.0 boards per game.
- The Spartans are leading SoCon with 21.2 three-point percentage defense, while they are second in scoring defense (58.5), defensive rebounds per game (31.0) and blocks per game (5.0).
- Greer's seven three-pointers made this season are third in the SoCon and 40th in the nation.
- Neal is currently averaging a team-best 6.0 assists per game, which is second in the SoCon and 60th in the nation.
- All home games will be in Bodford Arena for the 2026-27 season. Non-conference breakdown: Big South (2), The Valley (1), AAC (1), CAA (1), Conference Carolinas (1), Ivy League (1), WCC (1), Big West (1), ACC (1), Big East (1), Continental Athletic Conference (1).
Scouting the Flames
- Third-year head coach Rob Ehsan has guided the Flames to a Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Preseason Poll Championship game appearance and an NIT berth, first since 2003, in his first two seasons at the helm.
- The Flames finished with a 19-16 overall record and a 12-8 MVC mark at the end of the 2025-26 season, finishing third in the conference.
- UIC was tabbed third in the 2026-27 MVC Preseason Poll.
- Four UIC men's basketball players earned a place on the 2026-27 MVC Preseason Watch List, including Ahmad Henderson II, Mekhi Lowery, Andy Johnson and Rashund Washington Jr.
- UIC welcomes back four starters and a fifth part-time starter (accounting for a league-high 59 percent of minutes returning) and adds 10 newcomers (five transfers/five freshmen) to the squad.
- Washington Jr. is pacing the 2026-27 team with 17.0 points per game and 7.5 rebounds per game.
- Henderson II (14.5) and Lowery (13.0) round out the Flames averaging double-digit points.
- The Flames opened the season with a 96-47 victory against St. Francis (Ill.) before defeating Robert Morris, 79-56.
- The game against the Spartans will be the third straight game at home for UIC.
Scouting the Bobcats
- Lees-McRae is led by second-year head coach Desean Motley.
- The Bobcats were voted to finish 14th in the 2026-27 Conference Carolinas Preseason Rankings.
- Justin Bramao, Yerald Mieses and Ira Wilson were named Conference Carolinas' Players to Watch for the upcoming season.
- The Bobcats went 10-18 overall and 7-13 in the Conference Carolinas last season.
- They return four Bobcats from last year's squad, including Mieses who is the leading returning scorer and was fifth on the team with 8.3 points per game.
- He led the team averaging 5.3 rebounds per game.
- Bramao paced the Bobcats with 22 blocks last season.
UNCG basketball ticket information
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Up next
UNCG returns to the road, first traveling to Ithaca, New York, to face Cornell on Saturday, Nov. 14 at 11:00 a.m. inside Newman Arena at Bartels Hall. The Spartans then head to Boiling Springs, North Carolina, for a non-conference game against Gardner-Webb inside Paul Porter Arena with an 8:00 p.m. tipoff.
