UNC Greensboro Basketball: 10-Year Snapshot & 2025 Season Update

2025 North Carolina Sports Network
NC Basketball Spotlight, 10-Year Snapshot:
UNC Greensboro

By David Glenn
North Carolina Sports Network

School: UNC Greensboro

Location: Greensboro, N.C.

NCAA DI Member Since: 1992-93

Conference: Southern Conference (SoCon)

SoCon Member Since: 1997-98

SoCon Ranking Amongst 31 Leagues (KenPom): 13th (2025), 12th (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 (59 years old, 4th season at UNCG)

As A Player: Howard (1983-87)

Record At UNCG (through Feb. 26): 77-48 (.616) in 3+ seasons

Previous HC Experience: Radford, 10 seasons, 174-150 (.537)

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

2023-24 Record: 21-11, 12-6 (2nd in 10-team SoCon)

2024-25 Preseason Prediction (Coaches/Media): 6th in 10-team SoCon

2024-25 Record (through Feb. 26): 19-10, 12-4 SoCon

2024-25 Midseason Ranking (KenPom): #125 nationally (3rd in SoCon)

Remaining Schedule: Chattanooga (2/27), Samford (3/1), SoCon Tournament (3/7-10) in Asheville

After coach Wes Miller authored the greatest five-year run in UNC Greensboro history — 125 total victories, three regular-season championships, two Southern Conference titles and two NCAA Tournament appearances from 2016-17 through 2020-21 — many wondered if the Spartans would be able to sustain that high level of consistent success.

Since Miller’s departure for Cincinnati, UNCG has remained one of the top teams in the SoCon standings under fourth-year coach Mike Jones, although the Spartans haven’t yet broken through for another regular-season or tournament title.

As he did during his full decade (2011-12 through 2020-21) as the head coach at Radford, a stretch that 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 four 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 the following year, then 21-11 and second place last season. There’s only one higher rung in the league ladder, and this year’s squad still has a chance to reach it.

UNCG held an impressive 19-10 record through Feb. 26, and the Spartans’ 12-4 SoCon mark left them just one game back in the league standings. In what could be a fantastic finish, they host first-place Chattanooga (13-3) and third-place Samford (11-5) in their final two games of the regular season.

Despite losing star forward Mikeal Brown-Jones (Mississippi) to the transfer portal and veteran guards Keyshaun and Kobe Langley to the professional ranks after last season, UNCG has continued its winning ways.

While Chattanooga has been the SoCon’s best offensive team during conference play, and Samford has been the league’s best defensive unit, the Spartans are winning with a consistent blend of offense, defense and experience. Eight of their top 10 players are fourth- or fifth-year players, and the other two are juniors.

“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.”

Jones’ wise work in the portal last year produced veteran guards Kenyon Giles (Radford) and Ronald Polite III (George Mason), two proven commodities who had started at their previous schools. They join returning starter Donovan Atwell in one of the SoCon’s best backcourts, with all three players shooting 40 percent or better from 3-point range this season.

2024-25 UNC Greensboro Spartans
(19-10, 12-4 SoCon; through Feb. 26)

STARTERS (stats = 2024-25 numbers)

G Kenyon Giles, Jr. (5-9/170) — 2024 Radford transfer (starter)
29 mpg, 16 ppg, 3 rpg, 46% FG, 81% FT, 40% threes, 52/21 ATO, 3 blocks, 33 steals

G Ronald Polite III, Gr. (6-2/185) — 2024 George Mason transfer (2-year starter)
29 mpg, 13 ppg, 3 rpg, 48% FG, 75% FT, 48% threes, 88/49 ATO, 3 blocks, 28 steals

G Donovan Atwell*, Jr. (6-5/190) — 2022 HS signee (Providence Day in Charlotte)
29 mpg, 14 ppg, 3 rpg, 41% FG, 92% FT, 41% threes, 25/36 ATO, 5 blocks, 18 steals

F Demetrius Davis, Gr. (6-8/195) — 2024 Chattanooga transfer (part-time starter)
19 mpg, 6 ppg, 4 rpg, 40% FG, 72% FT, 27% threes, 41/34 ATO, 15 blocks, 16 steals

F Jalen Breath*, r-Jr. (6-8/225) — 2021 HS signee (Link Year Prep in Missouri)
21 mpg, 7 ppg, 7 rpg, 47% FG, 70% FT, 0 threes, 19/26 ATO, 14 blocks, 15 steals

KEY RESERVES (stats = 2024-25 numbers)

G Joryam Saizonou, Sr. (6-3/190) — 2022 St. Bonavenure transfer (backup)
23 mpg, 6 ppg, 2 rpg, 41% FG, 65% FT, 31% threes, 68/42 ATO, 4 blocks, 20 steals

F Miles Jones, Gr. (6-6/215) — 2021 Radford transfer (backup)
16 mpg, 2 ppg, 4 rpg, 32% FG, 56% FT, 24% threes, 43/21 ATO, 5 blocks, 14 steals

F Malik Henry, Gr. (6-8/230) — 2024 George Mason transfer (backup)
16 mpg, 6 ppg, 4 rpg, 64% FG, 70% FT, 0 threes, 9/16 ATO, 24 blocks, 12 steals

G Akrum Ahemed, Gr. (6-3/190) — 2022 Canisius transfer (backup)
12 mpg, 5 ppg, 1 rpg, 45% FG, 79% FT, 43% threes, 9/12 ATO, 0 blocks, 12 steals

F Muon Reath, Sr. (6-7/180) — 2023 South Plains CC transfer (starter)
9 mpg, 3 ppg, 2 rpg, 51% FG, 64% FT, 35% threes, 14/7 ATO, 7 blocks, 5 steals

Departures from 2023-24: F Mikeal Brown-Jones* (Sr./transfer/Mississippi), F Tim Ceaser (Ss.), G Keyshaun Langley* (Ss./Slovakia), G Kobe Langley* (Ss./Turkey)

*—2023-24 starter (started at least 50% of the Spartans’ games last season)

UNC Greensboro Spartans
10-Year Snapshot

Season: Overall, League (Place), Postseason

2023-24: 21-11, 12-6 SoCon (2nd), no postseason (Mike Jones)
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)

*—conference champion (regular-season and/or tournament)

NOTE: Please visit the North Carolina Sports Network’s 2024-25 profiles and 10-year snapshots (links below) for all 19 Division One men’s basketball programs in North Carolina and all 18 Atlantic Coast Conference programs.

Appalachian State Mountaineers, Sun Belt Conference

Boston College Eagles, Atlantic Coast Conference

California Golden Bears, Atlantic Coast Conference

Campbell Camels, Coastal Athletic Association

Charlotte 49ers, American Athletic Conference

Clemson Tigers, Atlantic Coast 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