UNCG 69, The Citadel 65 (OT)
GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNCG men’s basketball sophomore forward Kayel Locke scored the game-tying basket with 3.7 seconds left in regulation to force overtime where the Spartans pulled out a come-from-behind 69-65 victory over The Citadel Thursday night in Southern Conference action at the Greensboro Coliseum.
The Spartans rallied from a 12-point second half deficit to win their third straight game and surpass last season’s win total just 19 games into the season at 10-9 (9-22 last year). UNCG did not lead in the game until the overtime period, trailing the entire regulation time besides 23 seconds in the second half when the game was tied. The victory was also the sixth straight win over The Citadel in series history, improving to 17-7 all-time against the Bulldogs.
Locke finished the game with a team-high 21 points and grabbed eight rebounds in 38 minutes of action. He scored 16 of his points in the second half and overtime period as he was 7-of-15 from the field and 7-of-9 from the free throw line.
Junior forward Kyle Cain notched his league-leading seventh double-double of the season with 20 points and a career-high 16 rebounds, 12 on the defensive end. Cain’s play helped the Spartans out-rebound the Bulldogs 45-34, including 27-16 after halftime for the top rebounding team in the conference.
UNCG (10-9, 3-1 SoCon) found itself trailing The Citadel 43-31 with 14:26 remaining in the second half after a three-pointer from Marshall Harris III. The Spartans started the long climb back with a 9-0 run to trim the deficit to 43-40 with 12:31 remaining. Locke was the catalyst in the burst, scoring six points, while sophomore Jordan Potts hit a big three-pointer to get the crowd going at the Greensboro Coliseum.
The Citadel (4-15, 0-4 SoCon) showed its fight, responding with five straight points, including a three-pointer from Ashton Moore to make it a 48-40 contest. Freshman guard Tevon Saddler stepped up this time to ignite an 8-0 spurt, tying the game at 48-48. Saddler scored six points in the run as he attacked the basket at will against the Bulldogs before hitting a floater in the line for the game’s first tie with 4:57 remaining.
The Bulldogs quickly retook the lead and held a 57-53 lead with 2:34 left after Moore hit another three-pointer. Locke hit one of two free throws on the ensuing possession before the Spartans came up with their biggest defensive play of the game. Cain stepped in front of a Citadel pass at the top of the key and broke in alone for a fast break basket, making it a one-point game at 57-56.
After Moore hit a pair of free throws with 31.1 seconds left to extend the lead back to three, Cain was fouled in the post. He only hit one of two free throws but Harris III missed the front end of a one-and-one free throw attempt, giving UNCG the ball with 16.7 seconds remaining trailing 59-57. The Spartans went into the post to Cain, who got a good look at the basket, but his shot was just off the mark. Locke was left alone on the backside of the basket and corralled the rebound before laying it in for the game-tying basket with 3.7 seconds left. The Citadel had a wild three-point attempt go well wide at the buzzer, sending the game into overtime.
After Saddler gave the Spartans their first lead with a free throw at 60-59, Moore hit a pair to put the Citadel back in front. On the next possession, junior Nicholas Paulos drained a three-pointer to put the Spartans in front 63-61, just his second long range make of the night and the Spartans’ fifth as a team. UNCG took care of business on the defensive glass and Potts hit a free throw before Cain nailed a jumper for a 66-61 lead.
Matt Van Scyoc hit a deep, turnaround three-pointer to pull the Bulldogs within two points at 66-64. The teams traded possessions with neither one finding a basket until the final minute. Locke once again came up with the big play as he drove down the lane and hit a tough, contested runner through contact giving UNCG a four-point lead with 19 seconds remaining. The Spartans were able to secure the victory as they traded free throws in the closing seconds for the improbable win.
UNCG finished the game shooting just 36.4 percent (24-of-66) from the field and only 29.4 percent (5-of-17) from long range in the victory, but were strong in the overtime, hitting 3-of-4 from the field. The Spartans also only committed 11 turnovers in the victory, while forcing the Bulldogs into 15 miscues on the strength of eight steals.
Saddler finished the night with nine points, six of which came in the crucial second half stretch before fouling out in the opening minute of overtime. Potts chipped in seven points, while Paulos added six points and five rebounds in the team victory.
The Citadel finished the night shooting 41.8 percent (23-of-55) from the field and hit 10-of-28 from long range. The Bulldogs were done in by hitting just 1-of-8 from the field in the overtime period and despite entering the game as one of the top free throw shooting teams in the SoCon, only made 9-of-18 from the charity stripe.
Moore led the Bulldogs with 21 points, including five three-pointers, while also handing out five assists and grabbing five rebounds. Van Scyoc posted a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds but was limited to just three points after the opening 20 minutes of play.
The Citadel came out of the gate quickly, jumping to a 14-2 lead early on as the Spartans struggled offensively. Van Scyoc and Moore hit early three-pointers for the Bulldogs. The Spartans slowed the run with eight straight points to narrow the gap to 14-10. Freshman guard Tyrone Outlaw came off the bench and ignited the spurt with a three-pointer against the zone.
The Citadel answered back with three-pointers on consecutive possessions to extend the lead back to double figures. The Spartans kept battling, narrowing the gap down to five on two occasions but each time they did, the Bulldogs had an answer as Van Scyoc hit a three-pointer on the final possession of the half to take a 31-20 lead into the locker room.
The Spartans connected on just 23.3 percent (7-of-30) from the field and just 2-of-8 from long range in the opening 20 minutes. Cain Led the way with nine points and six rebounds in the half but only connected on 4-of-11 from the field. The Citadel ended the half shooting 47.8 percent (11-of-23) from the field, including five three-pointers. Van Scyoc led the way with 13 points and seven rebounds as he hit three long range shots.
Georgia Southern 88, Furman 81 (OT)
STATESBORO, Ga. – Georgia Southern erased a seven-point Furman advantage in the final four minutes to take an 88-81 overtime victory over the Paladins at Hanner Fieldhouse. Jelani Hewitt nailed a three-pointer with 21 seconds left in regulation to send the contest to overtime. Georgia Southern outscored Furman 17-10 in the extra frame to seal the win.
Georgia Southern improved to an even 9-9 overall and 2-1 in SoCon play with the win and travel to face Appalachian State who fell to 0-4 in league play on Thursday night. Furman blew a lead for the second-straight contest and is 0-5 in SoCon play and 6-12 on the season.
Tre Bussey led the way for the Eagles with 26 points and four assists. The senior needs just 12 points to reach 1,000 points for his career. Angel Matias scored five of his 21 points in overtime and posted his second career double-double with 10 rebounds. As a unit, Georgia Southern out-rebounded Furman 35-33 and has won the rebounding battle in all three league games.
Hewitt, who sent the game to overtime with his clutch three-pointer, finished the game with 21 points, nine rebounds and five assists. The redshirt junior needs 21 more points to reach the 1,000 point threshold. He was 7-of-8 at the free throw line, missing for the first time in league play this season after making 21-straight free throws.
The Paladins were led by 26 points from Stephen Croone who also chipped in five assists. Kendrec Ferrara went 9-of-16 from the field to score 21 points for the visitors.
Furman led by as many as 12 points in the final four minutes of the first half, but a late run got the Eagles within three at the intermission. Bussey made a three-pointer with 8.0 seconds remaining to halve the advantage from six to three.
With 14:57 left in the game, Hewitt swiped a steal and took it coast to coast to give Georgia Southern its first lead of the evening at 42-40. The Paladins, however, took an 8-1 run over the next four minutes to go back up by five.
As the game entered its final phase, Furman led by seven with 4:27 remaining. A wide-open three-pointer by Matias, his second of the night, cut the lead to four while a pair of free throws by Hewitt at 3:33 made it a two-point game. After a pair of empty possessions, a Marvin Baynham steal fed the ball forward to Hewitt who fed Bussey for a layup to tie the game with 2:37 left on the clock.
Two free throws and a field goal for the visitors gave them a four point lead with 1:37 remaining. Matias made one-of-two at the free throw line with 1:03 left to bring the lead back to two. A miss by Furman at the other end gave Georgia Southern the ball back. Hewitt knocked down a game-tying three from the top of the key with 21 seconds left to blow the roof off Hanner Fieldhouse.
The Paladins had a chance to win the game on the final possession of regulation, but Croone was forced to pass the ball to a post player at the top of the key. He didn’t get the ball back in time for the shot as the contest went to overtime.
Georgia Southern took control in overtime and never trailed en route to the 88-81 win over the Paladins.
Elon 87, Davidson 85 (OT)
ELON, N.C. – The Elon University men’s basketball team won for the first time ever at Belk Arena on Thursday, Jan. 16, handing Davidson its first Southern Conference loss with an 87-85 victory in overtime.
The win marks Elon’s first at Belk Arena and it snaps Davidson’s 23-game home winning streak over league opponents. The win marks the 60th for Elon’s senior class, the most wins by a class during the school’s Division I era.
Elon (10-8, 3-1 SoCon) trailed by 14 points late in the second half, but went on a 15-2 run over a stretch of 4:27 to send it to an extra session. Jack Isenbarger proved to be the hero yet again for the maroon and gold, as his three with 2.4 seconds left in regulation tied it at 76-all and gave Elon momentum heading into overtime.
After the Phoenix jumped out to a four-point lead in OT, Davidson (7-11, 3-1 SoCon) came back to make it a two-point game with two seconds left on a Tom Droney layup. The Wildcats managed to steal Elon’s inbound on the next possession and got a good look from Jake Belford at the potential game-tying basket, but his jumper rimmed out and Elon left Belk Arena victorious.
Lucas Troutman scored a career-high 28 points on 11-of-21 shooting to go along with a career-best 12 rebounds to pace the Phoenix. Troutman went toe-to-toe all night with Davidson’s De’Mon Brooks, who ended the night with 28 points and 10 boards before fouling out in overtime.
Isenbarger and Ryley Beaumont each scored 15 points, while Sebastian Koch and Austin Hamilton added 13 and 10, respectively. Koch also grabbed nine boards, tying a season-high mark.
Elon shot 51 percent from the field on 34-of-67 field goal attempts, knocking down 7-of-18 from three. The Phoenix went just 3-of-10 from beyond the arc in the first half, but came back to go 4-of-8 in the second half and in OT.
The Phoenix dominated the glass, 46-32, scoring 17 second-chance points off 11 offensive rebounds.
Chattanooga 80, Appalachian State 70
BOONE, N.C. – Despite 18 points, five rebounds and three assists from Jay Canty, Appalachian State University men's basketball couldn't overcome double-doubles by Chattanooga's Z. Mason and Casey Jones in an 80-70 loss to the Mocs on Thursday night at the Holmes Center.
Canty made 5-of-10 shots to lead four Mountaineers in double-figures. However, Mason poured in 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds and Jones added 14 points and 11 boards to lead Chattanooga (11-8, 5-0 SoCon) to its seventh-straight win.
Appalachian State (4-13, 0-4 SoCon) jumped out to a 15-5 advantage less than seven minutes into the game but UTC closed the first half with a 35-14 run and led 40-29 at the break. The Mocs stretched the lead to as many as 16 points in the second half before the Mountaineers chipped the deficit to eight points with under seven minutes to play. Appalachian pulled within eight points again in the final minute but couldn't get any closer, thanks in large part to Chattanooga recording its ninth and 10th blocks of the game on the Apps' final possession.
The Mountaineers looked poised to pick up their first league win of the season when they jumped out to a double-digit lead (15-5) with 13:31 to play, but the Mocs recovered from the early deficit and rallied to grab the lead for good (28-25) on Martynas Bareika's three pointer with 4:56 to go in the first half.
Chattanooga held a steady double-digit lead for most of the second half, though Appalachian cut the lead to 70-62 on a pair of free throws with five minutes to play and, after trailing by 12 with just over three minutes to go, once again cut the deficit to eight points (76-68) with 1:26 to go, but the Mocs hit each of their final four free throws to snag the win.
In addition to Canty's 18 points, Mike Neal scored 16, Tab Hamilton added 12 and Michael Obacha chipped in with 10 on 4-of-4 shooting from the field to pace the Mountaineers. Neal also dished out a game-high four assists.
Mason recorded six of the Mocs' 10 blocks to go along with his 22 points and 12 rebounds in the monster performance. Bereika scored 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting, including 4-of-9 from beyond the arc. Jones finished with 14 points and 11 boards while Ronrico White poured in 13 off the bench.
The Mocs outrebounded the Mountaineers 39-32 and shot 48.2 percent (27-of-56) from the floor while holding Appalachian to just 40.3 percent (25-of-62). Chattanooga was deadly from long range, connecting on 8-of-15 three point attempts.