Carolinian

Issue date: 11/7/06 Section: Sports

Media Credit: John Read GO-TO GUY: Kyle Hines will be counted on to lead UNC Greensboro to fulfill its high expectations. Southern Conference coaches have selected the Spartans to win the North Division.

On paper, UNC Greensboro will send one of its best teams in recent memory to the hardwood this season. The Spartans, led by do-it-all junior Kyle Hines, return all five starters to a squad that finished 12-19 a season ago and 4-10 in conference play.

Coaches in the Southern Conference believe UNC Greensboro's combination of overall returning talent, coupled with a capable freshman class make them the team to beat in the North Division.

Appalachian State was picked to finish second, followed by Elon, Chattanooga, and Western Carolina. The Spartans garnered four first-place votes, while the Mountaineers received three. Both Elon and Chattanooga were given two first-place votes.

The Spartans defeated Belmont Abbey 103-71 in their only official pre-season tune-up. UNCG previously participated in a closed scrimmage with Wake Forest last week. UNCG dipped through a mix of sloppy and superb stretches throughout the game, where all 14 players saw action on the afternoon.

Turnovers and defensive lapses were the most troublesome areas for the Spartans, but Hines and standout senior Rick Hickman felt like it was a typical season-opening scrimmage.

"In practice we've been turning it over too much," commented Hickman. "We were just rushing things a little, so we just need to slow things down a bit."

"It was an up-and-down performance - we were a little streaky," Hines said of his team's performance. "But that's kind of expected in the first game."

Hines and Hickman paced the Spartans with 25 points apiece on a combined 18-of-29 shooting. Hines pulled down 11 boards and swatted three shots, while Hickman nabbed four steals.

UNCG head coach Mike Dement feels that being selected atop the conference is a testament to his two leading players.

"I think it shows a lot of respect for Kyle and Ricky," said Dement, who is in the second year of his second stint with the Spartans. Dement coached UNC Greensboro from 1991-95 before returning last season.

"They're two of the top two returning scorers in the conference, and since everyone puts so much emphasis on scoring, that's the main reason we were picked (No.1) by the coaches."

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