INDIANAPOLIS – The UNC Greensboro men's basketball team earned the No. 13 seed in the East Region and will open the 2021 NCAA tournament against No. 4 seed Florida State on Saturday at 12:45 p.m. at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
UNCG enters the matchup having won four consecutive contests. Florida State will bring a 16-6 overall record into the first-round contest.
Gathered in a hotel meeting room after a light practice, the Spartans watched intently until they were the 60th men's basketball program announced during the CBS Selection Show on Sunday night. The brightly decorated room, featuring blue and gold balloons and orange basketballs, exploded in euphoria when Greg Gumbel announced the Spartans’ name.
"Let's go," UNCG junior guard Kaleb Hunter said when asked his first thoughts on the matchup. "We're going to be ready for whoever we play. We know Florida State is big, but we can't control that. The only thing we can control is how we play, and we'll be scrappy. As long as our names were called, that's all that mattered. We're blessed to be in this position."
UNCG is back in the tournament for the second time in four years after winning the Ingles Southern Conference Basketball Championship presented by General Shale Brick last week over Mercer, 69-61. Overall, this is UNCG's fourth trip to the NCAA tournament. The Spartans were a No. 13 seed in 2018 when they dropped a hard-fought, 68-64 decision to Gonzaga.
The Spartans have been one of the most consistent programs in the country since the start of the 2016-17 season. They have enjoyed five straight seasons with at least 20 victories. During that span, UNCG has won 125 games. Florida State has 120 victories. UNCG also has more victories than North Carolina and Kentucky over the last five years.
"I've been trying to get back to the NCAA tournament since my freshman year," UNCG senior guard Isaiah Miller said. "It hasn't been an easy road. It's nice to know who we are going against so we can prepare and get ready for a game. I've been through this my freshman year, but we didn't get past the first round. I am trying to make history and all my excitement is going to go into my work."
Miller is one of the nation's elite seniors.
Miller has been named one of 30 finalists for the Lefty Driesell Award, given annually to the top defensive player in college basketball.
A 6-foot, 1-inch guard from Covington, Georgia, Miller was recently named the Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year for the third consecutive season. He was also named the Player of the Year for the second straight year. He is the only men's basketball student-athlete in the history of the SoCon to be named Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in consecutive seasons. The defensive award was added in 2008-09.
He was also chosen as the Southern Conference tournament's Most Outstanding Player after leading the Spartans to the league championship and their second trip to the NCAA tournament in four years.
Miller leads the Southern Conference in scoring (19.3) and steals (2.6). He is also averaging 6.7 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. Sophomore guard Keyshaun Langley averages 9.8 points, one of seven UNCG players averaging between six and nine points.
This will be the fifth all-time meeting against the Seminoles, who represent the Atlantic Coast Conference. This will be the first meeting between the programs since Dec. 11, 2011. Florida State was an at-large selection after losing the ACC title game to Georgia Tech on Saturday night.
The Seminoles' selection to the 2021 NCAA tournament marks the 18th time in school history and eighth time under head coach Leonard Hamilton the Seminoles will appear in the NCAA tournament.
Florida State enters the NCAA tournament with three players averaging in double-figure scoring, led by junior All-ACC second-team selection M.J. Walker, who leads the Seminoles in both scoring (13.0 ppg) and 3-point shots made (44). Also, in double-figure scoring are All-ACC third-team selections RaiQuan Gray (12.0 ppg) and Scottie Barnes (11.0 ppg).
Barnes was also named as the ACC Sixth Man and the ACC Freshman of the Year in addition to earning All-ACC third-team honors.
"This has been a special team to be with because it's been a difficult year at times," UNCG head men's basketball coach Wes Miller said. "These players have been through so much and sacrificed so much, so it's definitely felt more adverse than any year in recent history here. To get to where we are now and accomplish what we have accomplished has been extremely rewarding and special for me as a coach."