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UNC Greensboro
RECORD: 19-12 REGION: West SEED: 16
COACH: Fran McCaffery CONFERENCE: Southern |
RESULTS| STATS | HISTORY | MESSAGE BOARD
Road to the Final Four.............................................................................................
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UNC Greensboro was one of the shockers among the low-major teams that won conference tournaments. In the Southern Conference, it was almost assumed that the College of Charleston would win the tournament. David Schuck, a transfer from Air Force, has blossomed since coming to Greensboro. But the Spartans lack the size to match up with bigger schools. Schuck is probably their best inside player, and he's 6-foot-8. He will have a lot of trouble against Stanford, trying to guard either Jason or Jarron Collins. Schuck is more of a face-the-basket player, yet the Spartans will need someone inside to guard the post. Greensboro just doesn't have it. | | | Team Statistics | | | TEAM |
| Points Per Game |
74.1 |
| Rebounds Per Game |
29.8 |
| Assists Per Game |
13.5 |
| Steals Per Game |
8.9 |
| Blocks Per Game |
3.7 |
| Turnovers Per Game |
14.9 |
| Field Goal % |
.444 |
| Free Throw % |
.774 |
| 3-Point % |
.381 |
| 3-Pointers Per Game |
5.0 |
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| Scoring Margin |
2.7 |
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How They Got Here
In case you missed David Schuck's shot in the Southern championship game, just think Christian Laettner in the '92 NCAA East Regional final. The game-winner with four-tenths of a second left beat Chattanooga 67-66 and sent the Spartans to their first NCAA Tournament since 1996.
There was a little more time (2.6 seconds) for Schuck to get his shot off. And it wasn't in overtime. But after catching the 75-foot inbound pass from Jay Joseph, he turned just inside the 3-point line and dribbled once before letting the ball go with his left hand. The shot kissed off the glass and found the bottom of the net.
UNCG's last trip to the dance came after winning the Big South Conference. It lost to Cincinnati in the first round.
The Spartans started the season 5-5, but played a respectable slate away from home. Three of their first four losses were at Minnesota, North Carolina State (77-76) and West Virginia. Along the way to conference play, they beat fellow tourney-bound Winthrop.
Stanford proved too much for Greensboro in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, putting a sour ending on an otherwise good season.Player to Watch
Courtney Eldrige stands just 5-foot-9, but he's put up some big numbers this season. He scored 20 or more points in six games, include two 30-point efforts. After nearly setting the team record for assists as a junior, the senior has become more of a combo-guard averaging a team-high 14.7 points a game.With the Ball
The Spartans have three main options, but boast a balanced attack with four players averaging double figures. UNC Greensboro's hopes lean on guard Courtney Eldridge's ability to break down a defense, but David Schuck and Jay Joseph are also keys to the offense. Eldridge can provide outside scoring, but slashing and finding 6-8 junior Schuck (14.4 ppg, 8.2 rpg) down low is a staple of this offense. Joseph was the top scoring freshman in the SoCon at 13.5 ppg.Defending the Ball
While the Spartans have a 7-footer in Nathan Popp, they must play team defense to be successful. Schuck and Joseph can each bang down low and are good rebounders. Eldridge is disruptive on the perimeter, swiping 82 steals in 30 games this season.Roster
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