GAME NOTES: The Spartans of UNC Greensboro try to snap a four-game slide on Friday night, as they clash with the Indiana Hoosiers in a non-conference meeting at Assembly Hall.

Since defeating Chowan in the season opener by a score of 76-62, the Spartans have hit the skids. The latest setback for the program came last weekend when it bowed to Youngstown State, 76-67, in their final game of the EMU Showcase in Michigan.

Meanwhile the Hoosiers, who are not slated to play on the road until they take on Louisville in the Jimmy V Classic in New York City on Dec. 9, are 4-1 out of the gate in 2014-15. However, the team did have a four-game win streak snapped earlier this week by Eastern Washington in an 88-86 final during the Hoosier Showcase.

The Hoosiers won the only previous meeting between these two squads, a 71-63 decision back on Nov. 21, 2003.

The Spartans used only three players off the bench the last time out and still were competitive, despite losing by nine. RJ White, who knocked down 4-of-6 shots behind the 3-point line, was even more effective in the paint where he cleared a game-high 12 rebounds, giving him a double-double as he tallied a team-best 20 points. Also scoring in double figures for UNCG were Tevon Saddler and Nicholas Paulos with 11 and 10 points, respectively.

On a team that is scoring 71.2 ppg, while giving up 75.6 ppg through five outings, White leads the charge with 16.2 ppg, as well as his 7.8 rpg. Unfortunately, his being in the lineup is not always a positive, given that he has twice as many turnovers as assists and is shooting a mere 45.5 percent at the free-throw line. Saddler (16.0 ppg) is far more accurate at the charity stripe (.707) and has dished out a team-high 23 assists.

Indiana opened the meeting with Eastern Washington on a 14-2 run, but the Eagles refused to go away quietly. In fact, the Hoosiers allowed the visitors to shoot 61.3 percent from the floor in the second half in order to take and hold on to the lead in the final moments. Kevin Ferrell managed to pour in 27 points and hand out seven assists for the hosts, followed by Troy Williams with 19 points and nine rebounds off the bench. James Blackmon tallied 10 points for good measure.

Blackmon, a 54.5 percent shooter from the floor overall who is even more accurate behind the 3-point line (18-of-28, .643), leads the unit in scoring with 20.2 ppg. Ferrell checks in with not only 18.8 ppg, as he too shoots the ball well from distance at 47.6 percent, but is also responsible for 29 assists in order to get the rest of his teammates into the flow of the offense. While it is still early, Indiana is scoring a shade under 89.0 ppg.

Indiana may be the more recognizable name in college basketball, but the Spartans will not be a push-over in this contest. Unfortunately, there is something to be said about playing at home in front of a favorable crowd.