UNCG Game Information
Live Stats  |  Live Video (ESPN3)  |  Live Audio (The Zone, 98.5-FM / 1340-AM)  |  Game Notes

VMI Game Information
Live Stats  |  Live Audio (ESPN Radio 94.7-FM / 910 AM)  |  Game Notes (Available after UNCG Game)

CHARLESTON, S.C. –The Citadel men's basketball team hits the road this week to open a stretch of three road games over the next two weeks. The Bulldogs will first head to Greensboro, North Carolina for a 7 p.m. game against UNCG on Thursday, Jan. 18 before making the trek up to Lexington, Virginia for a 1 p.m. game on Saturday, Jan. 20 at VMI.

Saturday's 1 p.m. game at VMI will be nationally televised by Stadium Broadcasting and will be available in Charleston on WCIV, digital channel 36.1. The game will also be available on WACH-2 in Columbia, digital channel 57.2.

The Citadel enters the week leading the nation with 12.2 three-pointers made per game. The Bulldogs converted 15 in Saturday's 110-101 overtime win over Chattanooga, bringing the season total up to 208 three-pointers so far this season, seventh-most in all of NCAA Division I. The 'Dogs have converted at least 12 three-pointers in each of the last seven games, averaging 13.1 treys over that stretch.

On Tuesday, Jan. 16, junior forward Zane Najdawi was named the SoCon Men's Basketball Player of the Week by both the conference office and College Sports Madness. Najdawi is the first Bulldog to win the award this season after earning the honor twice last season. He was named the SoCon Player of the Week on Nov. 15, 2016 and again on Dec. 6, 2016. A native of Midlothian, Virginia, Najdawi averaged 29.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game last week, all while shooting 82.8% (24-of-29) from the field and 75.0% (9-of-12) from the free throw line.

UNCG holds a 23-9 record over The Citadel dating back to the 1979-80 season. The Spartans are 22-4 against the Bulldogs in regular-season SoCon games. The Spartans have won the last six meetings with the last Bulldog win coming on Jan. 5, 2015, an 85-83 overtime victory on the road. The current six-game winning streak by UNCG is the third such streak of at least six games by the Spartans. The longest streak was eight games from Feb, 9, 2002 through Jan. 26, 2008.

UNCG is currently tied for third in the SoCon standings with a 3-1 (.750) league record to go along with a 12-5 (.706) overall record, including winning four of their last five games. On the season, the Spartans are 8-1 at home, including 1-0 at home in conference play. For the year, the Spartans average 72.2 points per game while holding opponents to 61.8 points per outing. UNCG shoots 44.1% (441-of-999) from the field and 35.7% (167-of-468) from three-point range while averaging 9.8 threes per game. In comparison, opponents have shot 41.9% from the field and 30.5% from three-point range while averaging just 5.6 three-pointers per contest.

On the year, Francis Alonso has led the way in scoring as he has averaged 18.0 points per game in 29.3 minutes per contest. His scoring average is third-best in the SoCon, but his 18.8 points per league game is tops in the conference. Alonso has shot 44.5% (98-of-220) from the field and boasts a team-high 63 three-pointers on the year while shooting 44.4% (63-of-142) from beyond the arc. He is also second on the team with 47 assists and has converted a team-high 47 of his 54 free throw attempts (.870). Behind Alonso, Marvin Smith is averaging 11.6 points per game while James Dickey has averaged 7.9. Dickey leads the team with 8.4 rebounds per game and 33 blocks on the season while Isaiah Miller has come off the bench in every game to chip in 6.8 points per game and a team-best 24 steals. Miller leads those Spartans that have taken 100 or more shots by shooting 51.0% (510-of-100) from the field. Alonso, Smith, Jordy Kuiper and Demetrius Troy have started every game for UNCG while Dickey has started 16. Kyrin Galloway started the only game that Dickey missed.

The Citadel owns a 56-51 all-time record over VMI dating back to the 1920-21 season. The two programs have split the last four meetings 2-2 with each team winning both games on their home court. In Lexington, the Keydets hold a slight 29-21 advantage over the Bulldogs with the last Citadel road win in the series coming on Feb. 18, 2002, 75-55.

VMI enters the week with a 5-11 overall record, including 0-5 in SoCon play. The Keydets are riding a six-game losing skid with their last win coming back on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017 at home against Southern Wesleyan. The Keydets are 4-3 at home this season, including 0-2 in home league games. VMI is currently averaging 65.1 points per game while giving up 73.1 per contest to opponents, a scoring margin of -8.1. Since conference play has opened up, VMI has only managed to eclipse the 60-point total once, a 63-61 loss at home to UNCG. The Keydets are averaging 55.4 points per league game. From three-point range, VMI is currently shooting 33.0% (115-of-348) and averages 7.2 three-pointers per contest while opponents have made 7.3 treys per game.

The Keydets have been led so far this season by Bubba Parham's 13.8 points per game in 28.5 minutes per outing. Parham shoots 40.7% (68-of-167) from the field and is second on the team with 30 three-pointers made. He has been sent to the charity stripe a team-high 64 times and has converted 84.4% (54-of-64) of those attempts. Behind Parham, Austin Vereen has averaged 9.8 points per game, mostly off the bench, and Tyler Creammer and Keith Smith have chipped in 8.6 and 8.1 points per game. Vereen leads the team with 31 three-pointers made on the year while shooting 43.1% (31-of-72) from long range. Smith leads the team with 60 assists this season to go along with a team-high 24 steals and Creammer has been the leader under the basket with 5.9 rebounds per contest. Parham, Smith and Garrett Gilkeson have started every game for VMI with Creammer starting 14 contests and Will Miller starting 13.

Following this week's games at UNCG and VMI, the Bulldogs will have a week off to prepare for one of the toughest stretches of the season that will see The Citadel play four games in the span of eight days from Saturday, Jan. 27 through Saturday, Feb. 3. During that stretch, the Bulldogs will travel to Mercer before hosting ETSU, Wofford and Furman.

Tickets are now on sale for the 2018 SoCon Basketabll Championships held at the U.S. Cellular Center located in Asheville, North Carolina. The tournament runs March 1-5, 2018. Ticket prices start at $10 for kids (ages 6-12) and SoCon students (kids 5 and under get in free) and $20 for general admission to a single session. Other packages, including VIP experiences and suites, are also available. For more information or to order your tickets, call The Citadel ticket office at (843) 953-DOGS (3647) or visit CitadelSports.com and click on the "Tickets" tab.

For more information on The Citadel basketball team, follow @CitadelHoops and @CitadelSports or visit CitadelSports.com.