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

VMI Game Information
Live Stats  |  Live Video (ESPN3)  |  Live Audio (ESPN Radio 94.7-FM / 910-AM)  |  Game Notes (Available after UNCG game)  |  Tickets

CHARLESTON, S.C. –The Citadel men's basketball team returns home this week to play two games inside McAlister Field House. The Bulldogs will first welcome the Spartans of UNCG on Thursday, Feb. 15 before turning their attention to the Keydets of VMI on Saturday, Feb. 17. Saturday's game will be the annual Pack the Mac game sponsored by TD Bank and Live5 News.

Tipoff of Thursday's game against the Spartans will be at 6 p.m. Saturday's annual Pack the Mac event against rival VMI will tip off at 1 p.m. Bulldog fans are encouraged to attend the game and have McAlister Field House loud for the annual rivalry battle between the Bulldogs and Keydets. Fans can purchase tickets ahead of the game for $5 using the promo code "PTM18" at CitadelSports.com/tickets. The special promotion will expire at 4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 16.

UNCG holds a 24-9 record over The Citadel dating back to the 1979-80 season. The Spartans are 23-4 against the Bulldogs in regular-season SoCon games. The Spartans have won the last seven meetings with the last Bulldog win coming on Jan. 5, 2015, an 85-83 overtime victory on the road. The current seven-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 enters Thursday's game second in the conference standings with an 11-2 record in the SoCon after knocking off SoCon-leading ETSU at home Monday night. The Spartans are riding a four-game winning streak after dropping a close, 87-85 decision in double overtime at Chattanooga back on January 29. This season, the Spartans are averaging 73.7 points and 9.7 3-pointers per game while holding opponents to 62.5 points and 6.2 treys per outing. UNCG is hitting on 44.7% of their attempts from the field, including converting 36.3% of their shots from 3-point range. In comparison, their opposition has hit on 41% of their field goal attempts and 31.4% of their shot attempts from long range. The Spartans also hold a +6.3 rebounding margin over their opponents, bringing down 36.8 boards per game compared to just 30.5 per game by their opponents.

Francis Alonso leads the team with 16.5 points per game in 29.7 minutes per outing. He is currently shooting 43% from the field and 42.6% from 3-point range. He is second to Demetrius Troy with 78 assists and is third on the team with 33 steals, but he leads the team with 89 treys made this season. Marvin Smith is the only other Spartan to currently average double-digit points per game with 12.3. Smith is shooting 36.9% from the field while bringing down 5.4 boards per game, second on the team. James Dickey leads the team under the basket with 8.4 rebounds per game and 55 blocks. Dickey is third on the team in scoring, averaging 8.7 points per game with Isaiah Miller fourth with 7.9 points per game. Troy, who averages 7.0 points per game, leads the team with 103 assists and is second to Miller with 35 steals. Miller boasts 36. Alonso, Smith, Troy and Jordy Kuiper have started every game this season for UNCG. Dickey has started all but one with Kyrin Galloway starting that one contest.

The Citadel owns a 56-52 all-time record over VMI dating back to the 1920-21 season. VMI has won three of the last five games, all of which were played in Lexington, Virginia. The Bulldogs have won the last two games played in Charleston and hold a 33-19 record over the Keydets at home.

VMI enters Saturday's game with a 7-17 overall record, including 2-11 in SoCon play. The Keydets have gone 1-5 since besting The Citadel in Lexington back on January 20 with a road win over Chattanooga on January 27. VMI has lots its last four games, including their last two at home. On the road, the Keydets are 2-10 on the year. Entering this week, VMI is averaging 64.5 points per game while giving up 73 points per contest to their foes. The Keydets are hitting on 40.2% of their attempts from the field, including 33% from 3-point range, while opponents have connected on 44.6% of their shot attempts and 33.7% from beyond the arc. VMI enters this week averaging 7.5 3-pointers per game while opponents have averaged 7.7 treys per game.

The Keydets have been led this season by Bubba Parham's 14.7 points per game in 30.2 minutes per contest. He is currently shooting 40.4% from the field, 34.8% from 3-point range and 79.1% from the free throw line, but he also has a team-high 66 turnovers. Behind him, Austin Vereen is the only other Keydet to average double-digit points with 10.4 points per game in 26.3 minutes per outing. Parham and Vereen are the top 3-point threats for VMI. Parham leads the team with 49 made treys and Vereen is second with 47 3-pointers. Keith Smith, Tyler Creammer and Jordan Ratliffe all average just above 7.0 points per game with Creammer leading VMI with 5.6 boards per contest. Smith leads the team with 82 assists and 33 steals on the year. Of players who have taken at least 100 shots, Creammer leads the way with a 44.7% shooting percentage. Parham and Garrett Gilkeson are the only two players to have started all 24 games for the Keydets. Smith has started 23 games and Creammer has 22 starts under his belt this season. Will Miller and Vereen have started 13 and 11 games.

UP NEXT: Following the two-game homestand against the Spartans and Keydets, the Bulldogs will play two of their next three games on the road to close out the regular season. The final three-game stretch begins with a road tilt at ETSU on Tuesday, Feb. 20 at 7 p.m.

2018 SOCON BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP TICKETS ON SALE
Tickets are now on sale for the 2018 SoCon Basketabll Championships held at the U.S. Cellular Center located in Asheville, North Carolina March 1-5, 2018. Ticket prices start at $20 for general admission to a single session. 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.