UNCG - ETSU Box Score

Box Score

GREENSBORO, NC – Freshman Kevin Oleksiak knocked down one of two free throws with 2.2 seconds remaining in overtime and East Tennessee State's Tim Smith missed a desperation shot at the buzzer as UNC Greensboro knocked off the defending Southern Conference champion Buccaneers, 79-76, at Fleming Gymnasium on Tuesday night.

The win gave UNCG (11-5, 4-1) a share of first place in the SoCon's North Division. It was also UNCG's 10th straight win at Fleming Gymnasium, making the Spartans one of 25 NCAA Division I teams with a home court winning streak of 10 or more games, currently. UNCG also matched its win-total from a year ago with the victory. Last year, the Spartans finished with an 11-17 mark.

Senior Ronnie Burrell led the Spartans with 18 points and 11 rebounds, one of four Spartans to score in double-figures. Ricky Hickman added 17 points and five steals. UNCG is now 8-1 this season when Hickman scores 15 or more points.

Tim Smith finished with 22 points to lead ETSU. Despite shooting just 1-for-5 from the field in the first half and turning the ball over four times, Smith rebounded to score 20 points in the second half and the extra session. Dillion Sneed had a double-double for the Bucs with 18 points and 12 rebounds.

In the first half, the Spartans found themselves down by double-digits at home for the first time this season. The Spartans committed 13 turnovers in the first half, while ETSU scored 10 of its 15 first-half field goals in the paint. Ten of ETSU's 12 fast break points came in the first half, as well.

“We were tentative against their zone in the first half,” said UNCG coach Fran McCaffery. “We weren't attacking it, we were missing shots (just 2-for-12 from three-point range in the first half) and not getting second shots. Then, they were turning our misses into baskets on the other end. Suddenly, you look up at the scoreboard and you are down a bunch. We did a better job of attacking in the second half (34 points in the paint).”

East Tennessee State (6-10, 2-4) used a 16-2 run to take a 21-11 lead with 7:52 left in the first half. Ben Rhoda had seven of his 17 points in the run.

The lead reached 12 when Smith's lay-up at the 2:55 mark made it a 29-17 game. But UNCG scored eight of the final 12 points of the first half to cut the margin to eight going into the locker room.

However, in the second half, UNCG came out much more aggressive. After Dillion Sneed opened the second half with a jumper in the lane to give ETSU a 10-point advantage, UNCG went on an 8-2 run to close to within four.

For a while, it looked like UNCG wouldn't get over the hump. On three separate possessions, the Spartans trailed by four and missed open three-pointers. Ricky Hickman got a steal and a lay-up to cut it a two, 45-43, with 13:40 to play.

Again, the Bucs stretched the lead out to nine, going on a 9-2 run to take a 54-45 lead. This time, however, UNCG had enough in its tank to get over the hump. The Spartans scored the next 10 points, eight of them by Hickman, to take a 55-54 lead. It was UNCG's first lead since a 9-8 advantage just over five minutes into the contest.

The teams went back-and-forth for the remainder of regulation. There were six lead changes and four ties in the final eight minutes before overtime. UNCG had a chance to win it at end of regulation. Smith knocked down two free throws with 22 seconds left to tie the score. After a UNCG timeout, Ronnie Burrell missed a 15-footer with four seconds to play. Josh Gross had a tip at the rebound as time expired, but the shot wouldn't go down and the teams went to overtime.

East Tennessee State never led in the extra-session, but the margin was never more than one possession. Gross, who finished with 13 points and 12 rebounds, broke a 74-74 tie with a three-pointer from the left corner with 2:02 to play. After a pair of free throws by Ben Rhoda cut the margin to one with 1:06 to play, Ronnie Burrell missed a three-pointer from the top of the key with 36 seconds left. However, Hickman ran down the rebound to give UNCG the ball without a shotclock, forcing ETSU to foul. Oleksiak, a 90 percent free throw shooter coming into the game, hit 1-of-2 free throws to with 26 seconds left to the Spartans a 78-76 lead.

ETSU missed two shots on its ensuing possession, the second of which was blocked by Kyle Hines but rebounded by Rhoda. However, Rhoda passed to Travis Strong, who was called for traveling when he lost his balance in a crowd.

After three UNCG timeouts, two called to set up the in-bounds and a third to avoid a five-second violation, the Spartans got the ball in to Oleksiak. The freshman from Abington, PA appeared to be trapped by three ETSU defenders. Despite falling down while trying to dribble through the trap, Oleksiak managed to keep his dribble and get fouled. He then sank 1-of-2 at the line and the Spartans held their collective breath as Smith's desperation heave from half-court hit wildly off the backboard.

UNCG hits the road this weekend for a pair of games. The Spartans take on The Citadel on Saturday afternoon at 1 pm and face College of Charleston on Monday night at 7 pm.

AGATE

EAST TENNESSEE STATE (6-10, 2-4 SoCon)

Smith, 8-18 5-5 22; Sneed, 8-15 2-4 18; Rhoda, 6-11 4-4 17; Anthony, 4-13 2-2 11; Reed, 3-4 0-0 6; Scott, 1-1 0-0 2; Strong, 0-4 0-0 0; Oatman, 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 30-68 13-15 76.

UNC GREENSBORO (11-5, 4-1 SoCon)

Burrell, 8-15 2-3 18; Hickman, 6-16 3-3 17; Hines, 8-10 0-2 16; Gross, 5-9 0-1 13; Bristow, 3-11 2-2 8; Oleksiak, 1-7 2-4 5; Everette, 1-1 0-0 2; Johnson, 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 32-70 9-15 79.

Halftime: ETSU, 33-25. 3-point goals: East Tennessee State 3-13 (Anthony, 1-4; Rhoda, 1-2; Smith, 1-3; Strong, 0-2; Oatman, 0-2), UNC Greensboro 6-25 (Gross, 3-5; Hickman, 2-11; Oleksiak, 1-4; Bristow, 0-4; Burrell, 0-1). Fouled out--East Tennessee State-None, UNC Greensboro-Bristow,. Rebounds-East Tennessee State 41 (Sneed, 12), UNC Greensboro 43 (Gross, 12). Assists-East Tennessee State 11 (Oatman, 6), UNC Greensboro 10 (Burrell, 3). Total fouls-East Tennessee State 17, UNC Greensboro 16. Att: 932