By Brandon Boyer, Staff Writer

Published in print Mar. 17, 2015

“First and foremost, I am really proud of my bunch,” said Men’s Basketball Head Coach Wes Miller after a disheartening loss to eventual conference champion Wofford.

In a season where there was very little fanfare, poor performances, and injuries galore, Coach Miller should be proud of his squad.

This was the final season that sharpshooter and 3-point shooter specialist; Nicholas Paulos would be a member of the program. This season saw big men Kayel Locke and R.J. White come into their own. This season saw the emergence of Diante Baldwin as the program’s first true point guard in a few years. This season bore witness to Tevon Saddler’s search for a basketball identity.

All of these pieces came together and shined through in the team’s opening round match-up for the Spartans against the Bulldogs of Samford.

While Saddler ran into foul trouble early and often, keeping his influence on the game minimal though finishing with a solid 15 points, Diante Baldwin stepped forward and dragged the Blue and Gold in the next round. The quick-handed point guard finished with 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists, but orchestrated the breakneck pace of the game with a sure hand.

“Diante Baldwin was terrific for us tonight,” said Coach Miller. “He has a chance to really be a leader in this program and give us something we have not had from the point guard position in a long time.”

The diminutive one guard went on to underline how the Spartans were able to change their mindset going into the tournament and how they ended up defeating the Bulldogs, 81-76. 

“We wanted to see the SoCon tournament as a new season,” said Baldwin. “We wanted to put together a full 40 minute performance, which we have not had many this season. We were able to fight and have each other’s backs tonight, even when something did not go our way.”

The second match-up saw the Spartans go toe-to-toe with the regular season champions and 2014 SoCon tournament champion, Wofford.

The biggest note of the match, which ended up effecting the scoring, was  whenever the Spartans got around the rim, was the fact that they refused to drive in the lane for a layup. It was well into the second half before the ball left a Spartan hand, kissed the glass, and dropped into the hoop. For some reason, as they warmed up, the only way UNCG would score around the rim was with these smooth finger rolls, trying to just delicately drop the ball in the basket. As beautiful as it looks from a purist’s standpoint, it is annoying to watch perfectly open layup opportunities and chances around the rim go to waste because of a stylistic scoring choice.

This choice, combined with the Terriers tenacious work on defense, saw what could very well have been a close game, get away from the Spartans in a hurry. Neither team shot well in the first half, but UNC-Greensboro made only seven out of their first 24 shots, a remarkably low 29 percent effort.

By comparison, Wofford scored when it mattered. The Terriers stood up behind their two stars, Lee Skinner and conference player of the year, Karl Cochran, and had them lead the way. Skinner was the heartbeat of the team that won the tourney last year and his energy and will power did not miss a beat this go-round. Cochran played surgically, being very precise and deliberate with his passes and shots, never once succumbing to defensive pressure.

And that was that.

Wofford won the game 70-52. The Terriers eventually went on to the championship game and took down the Cinderella story of the tournament, 10th seeded Furman. Now they’re sitting in a 15th seed in the big dance, the NCAA tournament, where they will be matched up against one of the best teams in the nation.

The Spartans did well in Asheville. Their all-time record in the tournament is close to .500 now at 15 wins, 17 losses. They were tough when they needed it, but could not score when they so desperately deserved to. Locke was incredible and will be even better next season, but that is next fall.

Gone are the Blue and Gold clad players who stumbled like a newly born giraffes, chins tucked to their chests and legs flailing, out of the tournament last year. This year saw a much more resilient team show up in the mountains.

This was a team that would and could fight, even when the cavalry was broken and beaten beyond repair. A team that could pull itself up, even if it was not quite enough.

Watch these Spartans next year. They have built their character on their hero’s journey through hell and back this year.

Time to watch them flourish.

Time to watch them win.