GREENSBORO, N.C. — The Langley Twins (Kobe and Keyshaun) have already solidified themselves as two of the most impactful players to ever lace up the sneakers for the UNCG Spartans, and this year was no different.
To enter the 2023-2024 season, Kobe Langley was the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in the SoCon. So when the conference announced their awards for this season, it was a surprise to no one that Kobe, earned his second-straight SoCon Defensive Player of the Year award.
According to the Spartans Sports Information team, this is the Spartans' sixth time earning the recognition in the last seven years. Former Spartan great, and current NBA G-Leaguer, Isaiah Miller, who earned the award three times (2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21) and James Dickey earned the award in 2017-18.
Kobe was also named to the All-SoCon Third Team and the All-Defensive Team after his play in the 2023-24 season.
If you need to see numbers to solidify Kobe's place amongst the elite defenders in college basketball, here they are. Kobe currently ranks 11th in steals with 71, and 15th in steals per game (2.29). But Kobe isn't just a lockdown defender, he's also a floor general whose assist numbers currently have him sitting in 18th (178), 24th in assist/turnover ratio (2.97), and 27th in assists per game (5.7). Kobe is currently leading the conference in assists, assists per game, steals, and steals per game.
He had a career-best six steals twice this season, including versus Delaware and at Wofford. On the offensive side of the ball, he also tallied his 400-career assist on Feb. 8 against Samford. The Southwest Guilford Alum also reached the 200-career steals milestone on Feb. 17 against Wofford.
The other twin, Keyshaun is currently leading the SoCon in three-point percentage at (42.8%). He also scored a career-high 30 points in the team's win over Furman on Feb. 4. The High Point, N.C. native was named the SoCon Player of the Week twice throughout the season. Keyshaun is nationally ranked 13th in three-point percentage (42.8), 53rd in total three-point field goals made (80), and 63rd in three-pointers per game (2.67).
He is currently second on the team, averaging 15.6 points per game, 1.4 steals per game, 3.3 assists per game, and 2.7 three-pointers per game. This season, Keyshaun reached the 1,500 career points milestone on February 8. He also reached the 200-career steals milestone on February 14 in a victory over The Citadel.
The Spartans are set to play in a quarterfinal matchup in the 2024 SoCon Tournament at Harrah's Cherokee Center in Asheville, N.C. on Saturday, March 9 at 2:30 p.m. against the winner of No. 7 ETSU and No. 10 VMI on ESPN+ and Nexstar affiliates. The Spartans, who turned in their second straight 20-win season at 21-10 overall and 12-6 in SoCon play, split their games during the season with ETSU and won both games versus VMI. UNCG will be looking for its first conference tournament title since 2021.