Game 2: #4N UNC Greensboro 66, #5 Furman 65
Box Score
Photo Slideshow
Postgame Quotes
CHARLOTTE, N.C. ? UNCG led by as many as 13, but Furman battled to the end before falling 66-65 in an opening round game at the 2010 Southern Conference Men's Basketball Championship. Brandon Evans led the Spartans with 13 points, as Amu Saaka led the Paladins with a game-high 14 points and seven rebounds.
With the Spartans up 11 (38-27), the Paladins went on a 13-3 run to cut the lead to one 41-40 on a Bryson Barnes three-pointer with 8:39 remaining. After two baskets made it 43-42, UNCG scored six straight to extend the lead to seven, 49-42 on two Darius Sellers free throws.
The lead stayed around seven into the final 20 seconds as Furman scores were answered by UNCG baskets or made free throws. Two Furman three-pointers by Justin Dehm and Saaka sandwiched Spartans freshman Brian Cole making one of two free throws to give the Paladins life with seven seconds left, down 65-63.
UNCG senior Mikko Koivisto gave the Paladins hope with five seconds left. Koivisto, an 84.3 percent free throw shooter entering the game, missed the second of two attempts giving the Paladins life. However, needing a three to tie, Saaka instead scored on a dunk with a second remaining to give the final 66-65 margin.
Koivisto, Cole and Kyle Randall each scored 11 points for the Spartans, while the SoCon's leading rebounder, Ben Stywall, grabbed 12 rebounds for UNCG. The Spartans shot 69.7 percent (23-33) from the free throw line, but made 80 percent (8-10) in the game's final minute.
Brandon Sebirumbi and Dehm each had 12 for the Paladins. Furman had a slim 36-33 rebounding advantage led by Saaka and Bryson Barnes with seven apiece.
This was the second game of the Southern Conference Men's Basketball Championship. The remaining first round matchups today are No. 4S The Citadel-No. 5N Samford at 7 p.m., followed by No. 3N Chattanooga-No. 6S Georgia Southern in the nightcap. Elon beat Davidson 66-59 in the opening game.
Game 1: #6N Elon 66, #3S Davidson 59
Box Score
Photo Slideshow
Postgame Quotes
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Elon, the No. 6 seed from the North Division, grabbed a hard-fought 66-59 win over Davidson, No. 3 South, in the first round of the Southern Conference Men's Basketball Championship Friday afternoon at the Bojangles Coliseum. The Phoenix advances to the quarterfinals where they will face No. 2 North Western Carolina Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. Elon improves to 9-22, while Davidson falls to 16-15.
It was a see-saw affair with eight lead changes and five ties total. Elon's Adam Constantine led all scorers with 16 points. SoCon Freshman of the Year J.P. Kuhlman paced Davidson with 12.
The Phoenix led for a majority of the first half limiting Davidson to 34.4 percent (11-32) shooting in the opening stanza. Tied at 23-all at 6:42, Elon held the Wildcats without a field goal for nearly four minutes leading to the 34-27 halftime margin.
Elon built its lead to 11, 51-40, on a Terrance Birdette three-pointer with 11:57 to play. But Davidson was not done. A 13-1 run gave the Wildcats the lead 53-52 at 6:16 on a Steve Rossiter free throw.
The Phoenix responded scoring the next six points to go up 58-53 at 4:55. Davidson closed to within one, but despite two offensive rebounds and subsequent errant shots off a Rossiter missed free throw at 1:56, the Wildcats could not re-take the lead.
Davidson could not find the bottom of the net, while Elon hit its free throws down the stretch to claim the 66-59 victory. Elon allowed the Wildcats just 35.6 percent (21-59) shooting from the field. The Phoenix hit 77.8 percent from the free throw line (14-18) including its last six inside the game's final meeting.
Chris Long scored 15 points for the Phoenix and dished out four assists with zero turnovers. Drew Spradlin added 13 points, a team-high five boards and three assists for Elon, while Birdette scored 11 off the bench making 6-7 from the free throw line.
Davidson senior Will Archambault tallied 11 points and grabbed a game-high nine rebounds off the bench, while Jake Cohen and Brendan McKillop chipped in 10 apiece.
The Wildcats held a 43-29 advantage on the glass scoring 18 points on 17 offensive rebounds. The Phoenix offset their struggles on the glass by turning the ball over just eight times and taking advantage of 13 Davidson miscues scoring 17 points off turnovers.
This was the first game of the Southern Conference Men's Basketball Championship. The remaining first round matchups today are No. 4 North UNC Greensboro-No. 5 South Furman next, No. 4S The Citadel-No. 5N Samford at 7 p.m., and No. 3N Chattanooga-No. 6S Georgia Southern in the nightcap.