2024 North Carolina Sports Network
NC Basketball Spotlight, 10-Year Snapshot:
UNC Greensboro
By Evan Rogers
North Carolina Sports Network
(updated Feb. 21, 2024)
School: University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Location: Greensboro, N.C.
NCAA DI Member Since: 1992-93
Conference: Southern Conference (SoCon)
SoCon Member Since: 1997-98
SoCon Ranking Among 32 Leagues (KenPom): 13th (2024), 20th (2023), 12th (2022), 14th (2021), 15th (2020)
NCAA Tournament Bids: 4 (1996, 2001, 2018, 2021)
Conference Titles: 4 (1996 in Big South; 2001, 2018, 2021 in SoCon)
Conference 1st-Place Finishes: 7 (1995, 1996 in Big South; 2002, 2017, 2018, 2021 in SoCon)
Head Coach: Mike Jones, 58 years old, 230-185 (.554) overall; 3rd season at UNCG
As A Player: Howard (1983-87)
Record At UNCG (Through Feb. 20): 56-35 (.615) in 2+ seasons
Previous Head Coaching Experience: Radford (10 seasons, 174-150)
College AC Experience: Howard (1994-97); Furman (1997-2000); Richmond (2000-02); West Virginia (2002-03); Georgia (2003-09); VCU (2009-11)
Assistant Under: Mike McLeese, Larry Davis, John Beilein, Dennis Felton, Shaka Smart
2022-23 Record: 20-12, 14-4 (3rd in 10-team SoCon)
2023-24 Preseason Prediction (Coaches/Media): 2nd/4th in 10-team SoCon
2023-24 Record (Through Feb. 20): 19-8, 10-4 SoCon
2023-24 Midseason Ranking (KenPom): #140 nationally (4th in SoCon)
Remaining Regular-Season Games: Western Carolina (2/21), at Mercer (2/24), VMI (2/28), at ETSU (3/2)
Now in his third season at the helm, UNC Greensboro coach Mike Jones has returned the Spartans to Southern Conference contender status.
UNCG most recently appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 2021, after Wes Miller (now the head coach at Cincinnati) guided the Spartans to the SoCon’s regular-season and tournament titles. In his playing days, Miller was a reserve guard for most of his time at North Carolina and a member of the Tar Heels’ 2005 NCAA title team.
As he did during his full decade (2011-12 through 2020-21) as the head coach at Radford, which included an NCAA Tournament appearance, a Big South championship, two first-place league finishes and two conference coach of the year awards, Jones has shown steady growth during his two-plus seasons at UNCG.
After a 17-15 record and a fifth-place SoCon finish in 2021-22, the Spartans jumped to 20-12 and third place last season. Now they trail only Samford (23-4, 12-2) in the league standings, and they will enter the conference tournament among a group of contenders that also includes Chattanooga, Furman and Western Carolina.
UNCG returned two of its top three scorers from last season’s team: Keyshaun Langley (who starts alongside his twin, Kobe Langley) and Mikeal Brown-Jones. They have become absolute rocks for the 2024 Spartans.
Keyshaun Langley, a superb shooter and ball-handler, ranks as the Spartans’ #2 scorer (behind Brown-Jones) and #2 assist man (behind Kobe) and likely will repeat as an All-SoCon honoree this season.
Brown-Jones, after serving mostly in a sixth-man role in 2022-23, has emerged as a first-team all-conference lock this season. He ranks second in the league in scoring (19.7 points per game), field goal percentage (55.6) and free throws made (131), sixth in rebounds (7.8 per game) and ninth in blocked shots (20).
The Langley brothers are highly regarded for their defensive abilities, and Kobe brought home SoCon Defensive Player of the Year honors last season.
“I believe you can win games with good offense, but I believe you can win championships with good offense and great defense,” Jones said. “We try to build from that standpoint; defending and rebounding is the most important thing.”
In their third game this season, the Spartans secured a thrilling road win over then-#14 Arkansas, 78-72, at Bud Walton Arena. UNCG later posted impressive neutral-court victories over Delaware (88-77) and Illinois Chicago (58-57).
In conference play, the Spartans have swept (home and away) a quality Furman team, but they have lost twice to league-leading Samford. UNCG also split with Chattanooga and has a chance to sweep Western Carolina.
UNC Greensboro’s offensive success depends heavily on its outside shooting and a roster filled with capable shooters at almost every position. So far this season, the Spartans have shot a tick under 40 percent from 3-point range, which ranks seventh nationally.
Sophomore Donovan Atwell, the team’s youngest starter, leads UNCG with 76 makes from deep at a 41-percent shooting clip. Keyshaun Langley and Brown-Jones also convert 3-pointers at or above the 40-percent success rate.
2023-24 UNC Greensboro Spartans
(19-8, 10-4 SoCon; through Feb. 20)
Starters
PG Kobe Langley, Gr. — 29 mpg, 9 ppg, 3 rpg, 45% FG, 73% FT, 37% threes, 159/53 ATO, 12 blocks, 63 steals
(6-1/180); 2023 part-time starter, SoCon DPOY; SW Guilford HS; High Point, N.C.
G Keyshaun Langley*, Gr. — 30 mpg, 15 ppg, 3 rpg, 42% FG, 85% FT, 40% threes, 89/36 ATO, 3 blocks, 39 steals
(6-1/175); 2023 1st-team All-SoCon; 2020 FOY; SW Guilford HS; High Point, N.C.
G/F Donovan Atwell, So. — 29 mpg, 11 ppg, 3 rpg, 41% FG, 93% FT, 41% threes, 15/17 ATO, 3 blocks, 20 steals
(6-5/187); 8 mpg, 4 ppg in 2022-23; Providence Day School; Huntersville, N.C.
F Mikeal Brown-Jones, Sr. — 29 mpg, 20 ppg, 8 rpg, 56% FG, 78% FT, 45% threes, 24/41 ATO, 20 blocks, 14 steals
(6-8/220); 2022 VCU transfer (reserve); IMG (Fla.) Academy; North Philadelphia, Pa.
F Jalen Breath, r-So. — 22 mpg, 7 ppg, 6 rpg, 55% FG, 49% FT, 20/34 ATO, 14 blocks, 11 steals
(6-8/225); minimal PT in 2022-23; Booker T. Washington HS; Oklahoma City, Okla.
Key Reserves
G Joryam Saizonou, Jr. — 20 mpg, 6 ppg, 2 rpg, 40% FG, 63% FT, 35% threes, 37/38 ATO, 1 block, 12 steals
(6-3/188); 2022 St. Bonaventure transfer (reserve); Beckley (W.Va.) Prep; Almere, Netherlands
G Akrum Ahemed, r-Sr. — 15 mpg, 3 ppg, 2 rpg, 39% FG, 75% FT, 22% threes, 22/17 ATO, o blocks, 7 steals
(6-3/190); 2022 Canisius transfer (reserve); Scotland Campus HS; Hackensack, N.J.
F Miles Jones, Gr. — 13 mpg, 3 ppg, 3 rpg, 41% FG, 86% FT, 39% threes, 11/8 ATO, 3 blocks, 5 steals
(6-6/215); 2021 Radford transfer (reserve); 2023 redshirt; Radford HS; Radford, Va.
F Tim Ceaser, Gr. — 14 mpg, 4 ppg, 3 rpg, 43% FG, 43% FT, 43% threes, 11/16 ATO, 8 blocks, 9 steals
(6-9/205); 2023 Utah Valley transfer (part-time starter); Marion HS; Marion, Ark.
*—returning starter (started at least 50% of current team’s games last season)
UNC Greensboro Spartans
10-Year Snapshot
Season — Overall, League (Place), Postseason
2022-23 — 20-12, 14-4 SoCon (3rd), no postseason (Mike Jones)
2021-22 — 17-15, 9-9 SoCon (5th), CBI 1st Round (Mike Jones)
2020-21 — 21-8, 13-5* SoCon (1st), NCAA 1st Round (Wes Miller)
2019-20 — 23-8, 13-5 SoCon (3rd), no postseason (Wes Miller)
2018-19 — 29-7, 15-3 SoCon (2nd), NIT 2nd Round (Wes Miller)
2017-18 — 27-7, 15-3* SoCon (1st), NCAA 1st Round (Wes Miller)
2016-17 — 25-10, 14-4 SoCon (t-1st), NIT 1st Round (Wes Miller)
2015-16 — 15-19, 10-8 SoCon (5th), CBI Quarterfinals (Wes Miller)
2014-15 — 11-22, 6-12 SoCon (7th), no postseason (Wes Miller)
2013-14 — 14-18, 7-9 SoCon (6th), no postseason (Wes Miller)
*—conference champion
NOTE: Please visit the North Carolina Sports Network’s 2023-24 profiles and 10-year snapshots for all 19 Division One men’s basketball programs in North Carolina and all 15 Atlantic Coast Conference programs.
Appalachian State Mountaineers, Sun Belt Conference
Campbell Camels, Coastal Athletic Association
Charlotte 49ers, American Athletic Conference
Clemson Tigers, Atlantic Coast Conference
Davidson Wildcats, Atlantic-10 Conference
Duke Blue Devils, Atlantic Coast Conference
East Carolina Pirates, American Athletic Conference
Elon Phoenix, Coastal Athletic Association
Florida State Seminoles, Atlantic Coast Conference
Gardner-Webb Runnin’Bulldogs, Big South Conference
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Atlantic Coast Conference
High Point Panthers, Big South Conference
Louisville Cardinals, Atlantic Coast Conference
Miami Hurricanes, Atlantic Coast Conference
NC Central Eagles, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
NC State Wolfpack, Atlantic Coast Conference
North Carolina Tar Heels, Atlantic Coast Conference
North Carolina A&T Aggies, Coastal Athletic Association
Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Atlantic Coast Conference
Pitt Panthers, Atlantic Coast Conference
Queens Royals, Atlantic Sun Conference
Syracuse Orange, Atlantic Coast Conference
UNC Asheville, Big South Conference
UNC Greensboro Spartans, Southern Conference
UNC Wilmington Seahawks, Coastal Athletic Association
Virginia Cavaliers, Atlantic Coast Conference
Virginia Tech Hokies, Atlantic Coast Conference
Wake Forest Demon Deacons, Atlantic Coast Conference
Western Carolina Catamounts, Southern Conference