UNCG-Liberty Box Score
Ronnie Burrell had 25 points, his 10th career 20-point game |
LYNCHBURG, VA – Ronnie Burrell, Ricky Hickman and Kyle Hines combined for 62 of UNC Greensboro's 74 points as the Spartans won for the sixth time in eight games this season, defeating Liberty University, 74-69, in non-conference men's basketball action Saturday night.
Burrell finished with 25 points, his tenth career 20-point game. Hickman added 21 points, making UNCG a perfect 6-0 this season when he scores 15 or more points. Hines, a freshman from Sicklerville, NJ who began the week ranked second in the nation in blocked shots, finished the night with 16 points, eight rebounds and six blocked shots. He has scored in double-figures in seven of eight games this season and has recorded five or more blocked shots in five out of eight.
“This is a great win for us,” said UNCG coach Fran McCaffery. “Sometimes when you don't finish well, it's a little quiet in the locker room. However, winning on the road is always difficult and we have to be happy with the way we played overall.”
Liberty, playing just its second home game of the season and one of only four it will have in its first 15 games this season, did not find the friendly confines of the Vines Center very cordial in the early going. The Spartans scored the first 12 points of the game, while Liberty struggled to get anything going offensively. Against a three-quarter court press from UNCG, the Flames (1-6) turned the ball over four times in their first five possessions and went the first 4:45 without a basket.
The Spartans (6-2) maintained that double-digit lead throughout a good portion of the first half as Liberty had no answer for Ronnie Burrell and Ricky Hickman. Burrell, a senior from Montclair, NJ hit six of his first eight shots from the floor and scored 13 points in the first 13 minutes. Hickman, a sophomore from Winston-Salem, NC, added 12 first-half points as UNCG took a 37-28 lead into the locker room.
The Flames, the defending Big South Conference champions, opened the second half with an 14-4 run to take their first lead of the game, 42-41, with just under 15 minutes to play. But UNCG responded with seven straight points on a soft jumper by Burrell, a three-pointer by Hickman, and a putback by Kyle Hines to regain a lead it would not surrender.
UNCG got the lead back to double-figures, but Liberty made things interesting with just over a minute left. UNCG held a 12-point lead, 71-59, but Liberty cut that in half with a pair of three-pointers five seconds apart. David Dees knocked down a three-pointer and Larry Blair stole the inbounds pass and knocked down another three-pointer to make it a 71-65 lead.
UNCG had a chance to put the game away at the foul line in the final minute, but missed four out of six from the line. Liberty, however, could not take advantage, getting no closer than four points in the final seconds..
Dwon Clifton made his first appearance of the season for UNCG, returning from a leg injury. The senior from High Point, NC played seven minutes off of the bench, but did not take a shot.
Leo Lightbourne led Liberty with 13 points and eight rebounds.
The win was UNCG's third in nine trips to the Vines Center. The Spartans and the Flames were conference rivals when UNCG was a member of the Big South in the early 1990's.
The Spartans, who are now 6-0 when they score 70 points, continue their stretch of four games in eight days on Monday when they host the College of William & Mary at Fleming Gymnasium beginning at 7 p.m.
AGATE
UNC GREENSBORO (6-2)
Burrell, 10-17 5-7 25; Hickman, 6-14 7-10 21; Hines, 5-11 6-8 16; Gross, 1-4 4-6 6; Beckford, 1-4 0-0 2; Bristow, 1-3 0-0 2; Johnson, 1-2 0-2 2; Clifton, 0-0 0-0 0; Oleksiak, 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 25-56 22-33 74.
LIBERTY (1-6)
Lightbourne, 5-11 2-2 13; Dees, 5-14 1-1 12; Blair, 5-17 0-0 11; Woodson, 4-12 0-0 10; Turner, 3-10 1-2 7; Robinson, 2-3 1-2 5; Porter, Rell 2-5 0-0 5; Stewart, 2-3 0-0 4; Risher, 1-3 0-0 2; Monroe, 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 29-79 5-7 69.
Halftime: UNCG, 37-28. 3-point goals: UNC Greensboro 2-10 (Hickman, Ricky 2-6; Gross, Josh 0-1; Johnson, Dwayne 0-1; Oleksiak, Kevin 0-1; Burrell, Ronnie 0-1), Liberty 6-18 (Woodson, Brian 2-4; Blair, Larry 1-4; Dees, David 1-3; Lightbourne, Leo 1-2; Porter, Rell 1-3; Risher, Evan 0-1; Stewart, Doug 0-1). Fouled out—UNC Greensboro-None, Liberty-None. Rebounds-UNC Greensboro 35 (Gross, Josh 9), Liberty 51 (Blair, Larry 14). Assists-UNC Greensboro 9 (Johnson, Dwayne 6), Liberty 17 (Woodson, Brian 8). Total fouls-UNC Greensboro 12, Liberty 25. Att: 559
- UNCG -
