Week 6
at UNC Pembroke (8-1, 3-0 PBC)
Date: Jan. 5
Tipoff: 3:30 p.m.
Location: Pembroke, N.C.
Arena: Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court
Series: UNCP leads, 10-9
Last Meeting: UNCP 101, UNG 68 (2018)
Game Coverage: Live Stats | Live Video
Game Preview: The University of North Georgia men's basketball team will jump into the 2019 calendar year with a road trip to UNC Pembroke on Saturday afternoon in Peach Belt Conference action.
Nighthawks on the Web: Links for Saturday's game can be found above, courtesy of UNC Pembroke. Fans can also follow the action through Twitter by following the men's basketball team (@UNGMBB).
Last Week: North Georgia split its last two games, falling to Flagler before beating Augusta in the final game of 2018. Two free throws with 0.9 seconds left sealed the Nighthawk win over a team that had beaten South Carolina earlier in the season.
Scouting UNC Pembroke: UNC Pembroke is 8-1 on the year and is 3-0 in league play. The Braves are receiving votes in the latest D2SIDA and NABC National Polls with their only loss coming to Barton back on November 16. The Braves are either first or second in the PBC in 15 different statistical categories, including leading the league in scoring defense and being second in the conference in scoring offense.
Series Versus UNC Pembroke: UNCP leads the all-time series, 10-9, but has also captured eight of the last nine matchups in the series with the Nighthawks, including the last six, as well. North Georgia is 4-6 against the Braves at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court, but have not tasted victory in Pembroke since Feb. 22, 2010 (five-straight losses).
PBC Stats: Shawn Hopkins leads the Peach Belt Conference with 19.2 points per game, nearly three points more per game than the next closest. Lanre Olatunji is eighth in the league in field goal percentage, shooting 55.9 percent from the field. Zez Steeple is seventh in the conference in three point percentage, nailing over 43 percent of his shots from distance. North Georgia ranks in the middle of the pack in the PBC in virtually every offensive statistical category, but are among the league's best defensive teams. The Nighthawks have held their previous nine opponents to just 71.9 points per game, third in the PBC, while committing just 11.9 turnovers an outing. UNG is behind only UNCP in rebounding margin (+7.4) as well.
National Stats: North Georgia has committed the 10th fewest turnovers and 13th fewest fouls in the nation this season. The Nighthawks also have the 23rd best rebounding margin in Division II as well.
NCAA Division II Showcase: North Georgia will battle Columbus State on Wednesday night in the UNG Convocation Center as part of the NCAA Division II Showcase. The game will serve as a blue-out as well as have the Operation Nighthawks of Honor ceremony at halftime of the women's game. The nationally televised game is part of the reward for winning the 2017 NCAA Award of Excellence for the ONOH initiative.
