Monday, March 3rd, 7:00 p.m. (et)

FACTS & STATS: Site: Fleming Gym (2,320) -- Greensboro, North Carolina. Television: None. Home Record: WCU 8-6, UNCG 9-3. Away Record: WCU 1-12, UNCG 7-8. Neutral Record: WCU 1-1, UNCG 1-0. Conference Record: WCU 6-13, UNCG 11-8. Series Record: Western Carolina leads, 15-14.

GAME NOTES: The Western Carolina Catamounts and the UNC Greensboro Spartans are set to conclude their regular season campaigns tonight, as the Southern Conference foes lock horns at Fleming Gym. The Catamounts were recently in action on Saturday, when they suffered a 74-63 setback at Appalachian State. The loss snapped the team's brief two-game win streak and dropped it to 10-19 overall and 6-13 in conference play. As for UNCG, it has played well of late, winning three straight and four of its past five outings. The team was last in action on Thursday, when it posted an 87-64 triumph over Chattanooga. With the recent run, the Spartans have improved themselves to 17-11 overall and 11-8 in league play. In terms of the all-time series, WCU holds a 15-14 edge over UNCG, although the Spartans defeated the Catamounts, 74-62, just a few weeks ago.

The Catamounts shot a dismal 37.1 percent from the field and they were outscored a the charity stripe, 18-8, in a loss to Appalachian State over the weekend. The team also struggled on defense, allowing Appalachian State to hit on 48.9 percent of its field goal tries and 10-of-20 three-pointers. Jake Robinson guided the squad in defeat with 19 points and three assists, while Negus McKenna had 14 points. WCU played without its top scorer Brandon Giles, who is nursing a shoulder injury. Giles is averaging a solid 15.3 ppg for the season, but he is listed as questionable for tonight. Robinson is the only other player on the roster currently scoring in double figures, with 10.2 ppg. Overall, the Catamounts are scoring just 64.7 ppg and shooting a modest 40.1 percent from the floor.

The Spartans forced Chattanooga into a whopping 28 turnovers and they scored 39 points off those miscues in a rout on Thursday. UNCG also drained 10-of-25 chances from beyond the arc and 23-of-26 at the charity stripe. Kyle Hines led the way with 26 points and four steals, while Mikko Koivisto had 22 points on 6-of-11 three-pointers. For the season, Hines has done it all for the Spartans, leading them in scoring (19.6 ppg), rebounding (9.1 rpg), steals (50) and blocks (82). Kevin Oleksiak is a distant second with 11.9 ppg and he is dishing out 3.3 apg, while Koivisto chips in with 11.3 ppg on a solid 33.9 percent shooting from three-point range. Overall, UNCG is producing 72.1 ppg on the strength of 46.1 percent shooting from the field for the season.

UNCG is the better team here and with Hines dominating the interior, the Spartans should have no trouble capturing the victory tonight.

Predicted Outcome

UNC Greensboro 72, Western Carolina 60