Carolinian Staff

The women’s and men’s UNCG basketball teams have found early-season success in 2023. The women took on Virginia Tech on Monday night, their first test against an AP-ranked team, as the Hokies came in as the ninth-best in the nation. The Spartans were coming off a close win over Radford last Saturday, their third in a row after losing their season opener in a close game against Appalachian State. Despite a tightly contested first half and several strong performances from UNCG players, Virginia Tech was able to go on several scoring runs to put the game out of reach. 

The team’s other two home wins were dominant performances over South Carolina State and Pfeiffer that showcased the Spartans’ pesky defense, ranked fourth nationally in steals per game before Monday’s contest. The team looks to rebound during a three-game home stand that starts tomorrow, Nov. 22, against Montreat. 

On the men’s side, the 2-1 Spartans’ most recent win was a 78-72 victory over the 14th-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks. The upset win was the UNCG men’s first Division I win against a ranked team in the program’s history. A considerable advantage in three-point shooting contributed to the Spartans handing Arkansas their first loss on the season, which was especially impressive given how strong Arkansas has been at home under coach Eric Musselman.   

The team travels to Nassau, The Bahamas, for the Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championship, which they open with a game against Kansas City on Friday, Nov. 24. The tournament continues over the weekend. After a short break, the Spartans resume play with three home games in early December against William Peace University, Eastern Kentucky University, and Elon University. 

Student ticket information for home basketball games is available on the UNCG Athletics website.