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By Steve Gilliam, University Relations
Contact: (336) 334-5619
Chancellor Linda P. Brady hands out t-shirts
Spartans in Action
Posted 1-22-09
GREENSBORO, NC — The UNCG men’s basketball team will face Southern Conference foe Davidson College in the Greensboro Coliseum on Thursday, Feb. 5, and UNCG wants to pack the coliseum on Blue & Gold Day in a show of school spirit that will help the Spartans to victory.
Alumni and friends can join students, faculty and staff in wearing UNCG’s school colors – navy blue, gold and white – all day and at the game.
The game pits UNCG against Davidson and its first-team All-American guard, Stephen Curry, whose shooting took the Wildcats to the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Division I tournament last March. Curry currently leads Division I scoring, with an average of 29.1 points per game.
Special entertainment for halftime will be the Zooperstars, the hilarious troupe of “animal” characters who have delighted sporting audiences nationwide with the antics of “Shark” McGuire, Shaquille “O’Seal,” “Mackerel” Jordan, “LeBronco” James and Tiger “Woodschuck.”
The fun starts the night before. A pep rally to get the Spartan Spirit pumping will be in Fleming Gym at 8 p.m. on Feb. 4, with a special performance by “6 1 Syx Technique” Break Dancers.
The tip-off is at 7 p.m., but Feb. 5 promises to be more than a basketball game as UNCG holds its first SpartanFest at 5 p.m. in the Coliseum Pavilion area. Activities include fun for kids, entertainment and a student tailgating competition in the parking lot.
Faculty, staff and students can catch the Spartan Spirit shuttle in front of Elliott University Center and ride to the Coliseum.
Parents can bring the kids to SpartanFest and let them jump on inflatables, get their faces painted, or wear foam Spartan helmets. A DJ will be on hand, along with the cheerleaders and the dance team. So bring your Spartan spirit and make some noise for the home team in the Coliseum.
Tickets are available and a crowd is expected. Ticket information:
• General Public – Perhaps the best deal is the "4 for $44" special – 4 tickets, 4 hotdogs and 4 drinks for $44 – which is available at the Greensboro Coliseum Box Office, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday; or Ticketmaster online or by calling 336-852-1100.
• Students – Athletics Ticket Office, 336-334-3250, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, Room 329 Health & Human Performance Building on campus.
Chancellor Linda P. Brady announced on Dec. 5 that the Spartan men’s basketball team will be playing opponents from the Atlantic Coast Conference and other power conferences in 2009-10 in the Greensboro Coliseum, the municipal facility that has been synonymous with college basketball since it opened almost 50 years ago.
Coliseum officials said the plan will include a home court setting in the arena and a locker room – decked out in UNCG school colors and athletics logos. The benefits are obvious, she said, with enhanced visibility of Spartan Athletics making a direct contribution to the student experience at UNCG and the community.
The timing is good for UNCG to schedule ACC opponents, who will play the ACC men’s basketball tournament in the Greensboro Coliseum in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2015. Next season, its home schedule includes non-conference games in the Coliseum with Princeton, N.C. State and East Carolina.
In 30 years, UNCG men’s basketball has played 39 games in the Greensboro Coliseum, including three against ACC opponents. The Duke game, on Dec. 31, 2005, in the Coliseum, drew over 21,000 spectators – the largest crowd ever to see a UNCG men’s basketball game.