UNCG - Coastal Carolina Box Score
GREENSBORO, NC – UNC Greensboro had all five starters score in double-figures led by Ricky Hickman's career-high 22 points as the Spartans held off a late Coastal Carolina surge for a 79-73 non-conference win in men's basketball action at Fleming Gymnasium on Friday night.
Hickman, a sophomore guard from Winston-Salem, NC, scored 13 of his 22 points in the second half, including 8 of 12 from the line in final 17 minutes. He also had four assists and four steals on the night.
“Ricky's play tonight was outstanding,” said UNCG coach Fran McCaffery. “His effort was extraordinary because he was able to keep up a high level of defensive intensity while getting it done on the offensive end to the tune of 22 points. That is very difficult to do.”
Hickman was joined in double-figures by Josh Gross (15 points), Ronnie Burrell (16), Kyle Hines (10) and Ray Bristow (10). Hines, a freshman from Sickerville, NJ, recorded his second double-double in as many career collegiate games with 11 rebounds to go with his 10 points.
UNCG (2-0) jumped out quickly, taking advantage of Coastal Carolina's 10 turnovers in the first nine minutes. Fifteen of UNCG's first 23 points came off of turnovers as the Spartans jumped out to a 25-9 advantage. Coastal Carolina (0-3) got back in it with an 8-0 run, but Bristow countered with a three-pointer to keep UNCG's double-digits.
In the second half, Coastal Carolina used a 15-5 run midway through the second half to cut the UNCG lead to four at 58-54. However, the Spartans ran off 11 straight points, seven of those points by Hickman, to regain control at 69-54 with 4:15 to play.
Coastal Carolina would only close the deficit back to single-digits in the closing seconds as UNCG went to 2-0 for the first time since November 1993 and only the sixth time in school history. The 1993-94 season was the only other time is has happened since the program was elevated to NCAA Division I status.
Pele Paelay led Coastal Carolina with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Coastal's Alvin Green, still hampered by a thumb injury he suffered in the pre-season, played just seven minutes and scored just two points.
UNCG will travel up Interstate-40 to take on 10th-ranked Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. The game will be televised by Fox SportsNet.
AGATE
UNC GREENSBORO 79, COASTAL CAROLINA 73
COASTAL CAROLINA (0-3)
Paelay 8-17 2-2 22; Leasure, 6-12 0-0 15; Gross, 5-12 3-4 13; Ferguson, 3-8 0-0 9; Nagel, 3-10 0-0 6; Stevens, 2-7 2-2 6; Nichols 0-0 0-0 0; Green, 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 28-68 7-8 73.
UNC GREENSBORO (2-0)
Hickman, 6-10 8-12 22; Burrell, 4-9 8-10 16; Gross, 5-8 3-4 15; Bristow, 3-5 3-4 10; Hines, 4-9 2-2 10; Wilson, 1-1 0-0 3; Beckford, 0-3 1-2 1; Oleksiak, 0-2 1-2 1; Johnson, 0-0 0-0 0; Everette, 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-47 27-40 79.
Halftime: UNCG 39-24. 3-point goals: Coastal Carolina 10-30 (Paelay, 4-10; Leasure, 3-9; Ferguson, 3-5; Stevens, 0-5; Nagel, 0-1), UNC Greensboro 6-10 (Gross, 2-2; Hickman, 2-3; Bristow, 1-2; Wilson, 1-1; Oleksiak, 0-2). Fouled out: Coastal Carolina: LEASURE. UNC Greensboro: None. Rebounds: Coastal Carolina 36 (Paelay, 11; Gross, 11), UNC Greensboro 35 (Hines, 11). Assists: Coastal Carolina 15 (Stevens, 4; Paelay, 4), UNC Greensboro 11 (Hickman, 4). Total fouls: Coastal Carolina 24, UNC Greensboro 12. A-452
