PEMBROKE – The 20th-ranked UNC Pembroke men's basketball team will open the road portion of its 2017-18 schedule on Wednesday evening when the Braves pack up their show and head to Wingate for an ESPN3 matchup against the Bulldogs. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. inside Cuddy Arena.
Fans unable to make the trip can follow the game on ESPN3 or a through a free live audio link on the UNCP Braves YouTube channel with
Matt Sabados handling the play-by-play duties. The game can also be followed via a live statistics link which can be found at UNCPBraves.com.
- The Braves (2-0) successfully opened their 2017-18 campaign over the weekend with a pair of wins at the PBC/SAC Challenge. UNCP toughed out a 62-57 victory over Lenoir-Rhyne on Friday evening at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court, before posting a convincing 91-67 win over Catawba on Saturday.
- Nigel Grant is averaging a double-double with 16.0 points and 10.0 rebounds through two games, with four other Braves posting at least 8.0 points per game as well. James Murray-Boyles and David Strother rank second on the team with 11.5 points per game.
- The Braves lead the Peach Belt Conference in both scoring (+14.5) and rebounding (+16.5) margin through the opening week of the 2017-18 season. The Black & Gold also pace the 12-team league in blocked shots (5.5) and offensive rebounds (18.0) per game as well.
- UNCP is 11-14 in road openers since joining the NCAA Division II ranks prior to the 1992-93 season, and sport a 6-3 record in such contests under the direction of head coach Ben Miller.
- The Braves are 24-22 all-time against the Bulldogs in a series that dates all the way back to the 1978-79 season, but are just 9-15 in series road games. Wingate has won five of the last six matchups in Cuddy Arena, including each of the last two contests against the Braves.
ABOUT WINGATE
- Wingate (1-1) split two games at the Limestone-hosted Tip-Off Challenge over the weekend, falling to the host Saints by an 87-74 score on Friday before rebounding with an 82-66 victory over Belmont Abbey on Saturday.
- Four Bulldogs are averaging double-figure scoring numbers through two outings, including Devarious Christian who boasts team-bests in both points (14.5) and rebounds (7.5) per game. Christian shot 55 percent from the field in two games at the Tip-Off Challenge, including an impressive 5-for-8 clip in a 13-point, 10-rebound outing against Limestone on Friday
- The Bulldogs are averaging 78.0 points and 47.1 percent shooting through two games of the 2017-18 season, but have allowed opponents to shoot at an even more impressive 50 percent clip. The offensive performances so far for Wingate also includes an eye-popping 45 percent success rate from the perimeter.
- The Bulldogs have dropped just three of their last 17 home openers since the close of the 1999-00 campaign, and will ride a 10-game home win streak into Wednesday's evenings contest. Wingate was 12-1 at home last season, with their only blemish coming at the hands of then-No. 23 Lincoln Memorial in mid-December.
