UNCG 91, Greensboro College 48
GREENSBORO, N.C.-Trevis Simpson scored a game-high 18 points to lead UNCG to a 91-48 exhibition game win over Greensboro College, Thursday at Fleming Gym.
Simpson was one of four Spartans to score in double figures. The sophomore swingman was 6-of-12 from the field (1-3 3FG) and 5-of-6 from the free throw line in 27 minutes.
The Spartans shot 56 percent from the field, including 58 percent in the first half when they built a 53-23 halftime lead.
UNCG came out firing to start the game, scoring on 10 of its first 13 possessions. Junior guard Kyle Randall opened the game by making his first six shots from the field. His jumper with 2:42 left in the half gave the Spartans a 34-point advantage at 52-18.
In the second half UNCG continued to add to its lead. Back-to-back jumpers by junior guard Derrell Armstrong gave the Spartans a 65-31 lead with 15:53 left.
UNCG eventually built its lead to more than 40 points, the first time coming when a Cody Henegar tip-in made it 88-47 with 3:25 to play.
The Spartans dominated their Division III counterparts from down the street, out-rebounding the Pride by a 42-20 margin, and turning 28 Greensboro College turnovers into 36 points. The Spartans had 18 steals and limited GC to 40 percent shooting for the game.
Randall finished the game with 12 points, adding five steals and three assists. Armstrong came off the bench with 13 points and six rebounds, while sophomore forward David Williams chipped in with 10 points and five boards.
Brian Thomas led Greensboro College with 12 points.
UNCG opens the 2011-12 regular season when they visit Tennessee, 7 p.m., Friday, Nov. 11.
Appalachian State 102, Lenoir-Rhyne 64
BOONE, N.C. - In his unofficial ASU debut, junior Rodney Milum sank 8-of-12 three-pointers and scored 28 points to lead Appalachian State University men's basketball past Lenoir-Rhyne, 102-64, in a preseason exhibition on Thursday evening at the Holmes Center.
The junior transfer sparked the Mountaineers' quick start, scoring nine of ASU's first 13 points as the Apps opened a 21-3 advantage in the game's first seven minutes. Milum added three assists, one rebound and a steal in 21 minutes on the floor.
The balanced Mountaineer attack saw three other players reach double figures in points, including Andre Williamson's 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting and game-high eight rebounds. The senior forward added a pair of steals and a block in 26 minutes.
Newcomer Jamaal Trice poured in 11 points in the first half, before sitting out all but one minute after halftime to nurse a minor injury. The junior swing man connected on 4-of-6 shots with three rebounds and an assist in the win.
Paced by Milum's blazing start from downtown, ASU built a 63-29 halftime advantage on 63.9 percent shooting and 14-of-18 three-pointers. In the game's opening 20 minutes, Appalachian dished out 15 assists with only four turnovers, while scoring 19 points off of nine L-R turnovers.
The second half saw a much closer matchup, as the Beears shot 50 percent from the field and the Apps sank just 3-of-10 longballs. While the lead was never in doubt, ASU held a minor 39-35 advantage after the intermission.
Also contributing for the Apps, junior Nathan Healy sank three three-pointers toscore 10 points with three rebounds and a pair of assists.
In addition to the pair of junior transfers, four other players made their Black & Gold debuts on Thursday.
Sophomore Brian Okam started at center and sank 3-of-5 shots for six points to accompany three rebounds and three blocks. The 7-footer played just 14 minutes due to foul trouble in the contest.
Freshmen Tab Hamilton and Mike Neal came off the bench to combine for nine points. Hamilton dished out two assists to match his two steals while Neal passed out four assists to accompany one trey.
G.J. Vilarino also stepped onto the court for the first time in the ASU uniform and tallied nine points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals in a well-rounded 27 minutes on the court. He shared time with returnee Mitch Woods, who started and scored six points with six assists and a pair of rebounds.
The pair of sophomore point guards shared the court for a long stretch in the second half, in which ASU's ball movement stymied the Lenoir-Rhyne defense and created multiple looks both in the half court and in transition.
ASU's other contributing senior was Petey Hausley, who tallied six points and four rebounds in 19 minutes of action.
L-R was led by 15 points from Denzel Dillingham. The Bears pulled in 32 rebounds to ASU's 35 and ended the contest with a 41.1 field-goal percentage.
Preseason Southern Conference Player of the Year Omar Carter was limited to two minutes off the bench while easing his way back from a hand injury sustained in practice. Carter is expected to be ready when the regular season tips off on Nov. 11 against Lees-McRae at 7 p.m. in the Holmes Center.
Elon 96, Washington & Lee 48
ELON, N.C. - The Elon men's basketball team rolled to a 96-48 victory over the visiting Washington & Lee Generals in the lone exhibition contest of the year for the Phoenix. Fans in Alumni Gym were treated to high-flying dunks and watched Elon rain 11 three-pointers on W&L.
"There were a lot of positives tonight," noted Elon head men's basketball coach Matt Matheny. "We felt everyone that played, played hard. We really improved defensively and with our rebounding and that is what we focused on in the preseason. This is just one step."
Twelve Phoenix players scored in the contest with Jack Isenbarger leading the way with 20 points. Isenbarger and fellow sophomores Ryley Beaumont and Lucas Troutman all grabbed a team-high nine rebounds. Elon outrebounded the opposition 54-37.
Elon got 14 points each from senior Drew Spradlin and Troutman with Spradlin knocking down 6-of-11 from the field. Newcomer Austin Hamilton was impressive, coming off the bench to run the point and dishing off seven assists and adding three steals. Hamilton did not have a turnover on the night.
Sophomore Sebastian Koch had a well-rounded effort with nine points, seven boards and five assists. Junior Esheosa Edomwonyi played his first minutes for the maroon and gold after transferring from Rice, scoring 11 points and swatting a game-high four shots.
Elon registered 25 assists on 37 buckets and had 13 steals on 29 Washington & Lee turnovers. The Phoenix shot 43 percent from the field while the Generals managed to connect on only 33 percent of their shots.
After holding an 8-4 lead at the first media timeout, the Phoenix went on a 28-10 run that spanned 10 minutes and put the home team on top 36-14. Junior Roger Dugas capped the run with a triple at the 6:55 mark. Elon scored the final eight points of the half to take a 46-19 advantage into the break.
It was more of the same in the second half as Elon outscored the Generals 28-4 through the first eight minutes of the period en route to the dominating performance. All 15 Phoenix players saw action in the exhibition contest.
The Phoenix will open the regular season on the road when it travels to UMass on Friday, November 11 for a 9 p.m. tip.