Box Score
Led the Spartans with 20 points |
WASHINGTON – The American University men's basketball team went up 16 points at the half (32-16) and eventually defeated the University of North Carolina-Greensboro by 20 points, 65-45. Andres Rodriguez led the way with 16 points, 10 assists and four steals in 39 minutes of action.
The two teams traded baskets for the first three minutes of the game before the Eagles went on an 13-1 run. It began with a Jernavis Draughn which gave AU its second lead of the game at 5-4. AU would not trail again. Raimondas Petrauskas follwed with a jumper at the end of the shot clock and then Linas Lekavicius scored four straight points. A Rodriguez three put AU up nine points (14-5), and Patrick Okpwae finished the run with layup off of a Rodriguez feed.
As the first half came to a close, the Eagles pushed its lead to 16 when Rodriguez stole the ball, and when in for a layup with 33 seconds left. UNCG's Ronnie Taylor turned the ball over with 11 seconds left and Matej Cresnik hit a three-pointer as the half ended.
The second half started with the Eagles going on a 16-4 run with Rodriguez finding the hoop for seven of his 16 total points of the day. AU continued to dominate later in the half, as Okpwae dunked the ball off from a missed lay-up to put the Eagles up 65-37 with 2:31 left to play. UNCG rallied in the final minutes, scoring the last nine points of the game.
Jason Thomas scored 14 points and grabbed five boards for the Eagles. Draughn finished with seven rebounds and seven points while Cresnik had nine points and four rebounds.
Ray Bristow posted a game-high 20 points for UNCG and was the only Spartan in double figures
