University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Sunday, December 3
Greeley, Colo.
5pm
University of Northern Colorado
vs
Western State Colorado University
Photo by: Dean Popejoy
@UNCO_MBB Makes Their Way Back Home to Face Familiar Foe
12/2/2017 5:10:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Bears set to host Coach Linder's alma mater
Greeley, Colo.—The Northern Colorado men's team starts a three-game homestand Sunday against head coach Jeff Linder's alma mater Western State. The Bears and Mountaineers play the second game of a doubleheader. The two squads take the court after the UNC women's team plays Pacific at 2 pm. The men's game is scheduled for 5 pm.
Bears faithful can listen to 1310 KFKA or follow it live on UNCBears.com. You can also watch on Pluto TV.
Opening Tip
Western State is no stranger to Northern Colorado. The Bears and Mountaineers were both part of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) from 1923-1967. The two schools sometimes played four times a year. This will be UNC and WSCU's 133 time going head to head.
Their last meeting happened in 2010. The Bears won the exhibition contest 93-61. The Bears beat the Mountaineers 76-58 in the squads last regular season tilt during the 2004-05 season.
Heading into the matchup, Andre Spight leads the Bears with 16.9 points per game and Jordan Davis isn't far behind with 15.6 per contest. Jonah Radebaugh claims the top spot for rebounding with six boards per game.
The Right Combination
Head Coach Jeff Linder has found a rhythm with playing time. Earlier in the season, he played 11 and now he has a rotation of eight. After the season opener, coach Linder has started the same five for seven-straight games. The Bears have gone 5-2 in that stretch.
Giving to Charity
UNC makes their way to the charity stripe on average 21.2 times per game. Their opponents take freebies just as much as the Bears shoot 10% better from the foul line. On the season, UNC has hit 17 more foul shots than the team on the other side of the court.
The New S.W.A.T
The Bears reject their foes over five times a game. UNC has swatted away 41 shots compared to only being declined 19. Jalen Sanders (12) and Tanner Morgan (9) have out vetoed their opponents by themselves 21-19. Jordan Davis is third on the team with eight blocks on the season. All three players are in the top five in blocks for the Big Sky Conference.
Scouting Western State
Bradd Schafer is in his fourth season as Mountaineers head coach. In his three years at Western, Schafer has coached two players to Second Team All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference honors and another to the all-conference honorable mention team.
Western State's record stands at 2-5 on the season as of December 1st. This game is the second in a three-game stretch for the Mountaineers. Western plays Westminster Saturday and then the team will head south to the Air Force Academy to face the Falcons Monday. The team lost their only exhibition game against UNC's fellow Big Sky member Weber State, 84-77.
Collin Smith is the Mountaineers leading scorer. The Loveland, Colorado native puts up 17.7 points per contest. Smith is also tied for the lead in rebounds with Monroe Porter. Both players pull down 7.1 per game.
Ben Beauchamp torched the net against Midwestern State. Beauchamp let it fly 30 times and hit 15 of them to total 45 points in the overtime loss 123-121.
What's Next
UNC has another doubleheader Sunday, December 10th when the women welcome in-state foe Colorado State at 2 pm and the men play host to Oklahoma Panhandle State at 5 pm. Single-game tickets for both of the Sunday men's games are just $3 each in advance at UNCBears.com. The men then conclude their homestand against the University of Denver on December 13th with a 7 pm tip.
Bears faithful can listen to 1310 KFKA or follow it live on UNCBears.com. You can also watch on Pluto TV.
Opening Tip
Western State is no stranger to Northern Colorado. The Bears and Mountaineers were both part of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) from 1923-1967. The two schools sometimes played four times a year. This will be UNC and WSCU's 133 time going head to head.
Their last meeting happened in 2010. The Bears won the exhibition contest 93-61. The Bears beat the Mountaineers 76-58 in the squads last regular season tilt during the 2004-05 season.
Heading into the matchup, Andre Spight leads the Bears with 16.9 points per game and Jordan Davis isn't far behind with 15.6 per contest. Jonah Radebaugh claims the top spot for rebounding with six boards per game.
The Right Combination
Head Coach Jeff Linder has found a rhythm with playing time. Earlier in the season, he played 11 and now he has a rotation of eight. After the season opener, coach Linder has started the same five for seven-straight games. The Bears have gone 5-2 in that stretch.
Giving to Charity
UNC makes their way to the charity stripe on average 21.2 times per game. Their opponents take freebies just as much as the Bears shoot 10% better from the foul line. On the season, UNC has hit 17 more foul shots than the team on the other side of the court.
The New S.W.A.T
The Bears reject their foes over five times a game. UNC has swatted away 41 shots compared to only being declined 19. Jalen Sanders (12) and Tanner Morgan (9) have out vetoed their opponents by themselves 21-19. Jordan Davis is third on the team with eight blocks on the season. All three players are in the top five in blocks for the Big Sky Conference.
Scouting Western State
Bradd Schafer is in his fourth season as Mountaineers head coach. In his three years at Western, Schafer has coached two players to Second Team All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference honors and another to the all-conference honorable mention team.
Western State's record stands at 2-5 on the season as of December 1st. This game is the second in a three-game stretch for the Mountaineers. Western plays Westminster Saturday and then the team will head south to the Air Force Academy to face the Falcons Monday. The team lost their only exhibition game against UNC's fellow Big Sky member Weber State, 84-77.
Collin Smith is the Mountaineers leading scorer. The Loveland, Colorado native puts up 17.7 points per contest. Smith is also tied for the lead in rebounds with Monroe Porter. Both players pull down 7.1 per game.
Ben Beauchamp torched the net against Midwestern State. Beauchamp let it fly 30 times and hit 15 of them to total 45 points in the overtime loss 123-121.
What's Next
UNC has another doubleheader Sunday, December 10th when the women welcome in-state foe Colorado State at 2 pm and the men play host to Oklahoma Panhandle State at 5 pm. Single-game tickets for both of the Sunday men's games are just $3 each in advance at UNCBears.com. The men then conclude their homestand against the University of Denver on December 13th with a 7 pm tip.
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