BOX SCORE (PDF)
WES MILLER POST-GAME PRESS CONFERENCE
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Despite a game-high 25 points from junior guard Trevis Simpson (Douglas, Ga./Coffee), the UNCG men's basketball team suffered an 84-70 loss to Atlantic Coast Conference foe and Triad rival Wake Forest Saturday afternoon at the Greensboro Coliseum.
"I was pleased with our effort tonight after not having consistent efforts in the last two games," head coach
Wes Miller said. "Our guys really tried tonight, but we are not playing good basketball as a group right now and I have to figure out a way to get us on a better track. I really believe if we continue to try to do it right and our guys stay bought in to what we are doing, we are going to be okay as we move on through the year."
Simpson connected on 10-of-18 from the field, including two three-pointers, as he scored 16 of his 25 points in the second half. He has scored in double figures in all 10 games this season and has scored at least 20 points in four games.
Senior guard
Derrell Armstrong (Mechanicsville, Md./Allegany CC) and freshman forward
Kayel Locke (Owings Mill, Md./McDonogh) also scored in double figures with 16 and 10 points respectively. Locke scored all 10 of his points in the second half while Armstrong connected on 5-of-10 from the field, including a pair of three-pointers.
The Demon Deacons (6-5) hit 27 of their 51 attempts from the field (53 percent) while the Spartans drained 25 of 59 – including 8 of 21 from beyond the arc. Wake Forest also had a distinct advantage from the foul line where it was awarded 32 free throw attempts as compared to just 15 for UNCG. The Demon Deacons capitalized, knocking down 23 of those tries while the Spartans hit 12.
Wake Forest was led by Travis McKie who scored a team-high 19 points as one of four players in double figures for the Demon Deacons. Chase Fischer added 13 points off the bench as he hit 4-of-5 from the field, including all three of his three-pointers.
The Spartans and Demon Deacons battled back and forth for most of the first half, trading baskets to stay within two possessions for most of the half. UNCG took a 27-26 lead at the 2:24 mark of the half as sophomore Nicholas Paulos (Salt Lake City, Utah/New Hampton School) scored five straight points, including a three-pointer in transition Simpson found him open on the wing on the break.
Wake Forest responded with 10 straight points as it closed the half on a 12-2 run to take a 38-29 lead into the locker room. C.J. Harris scored four points in the run while Chase Fischer nailed a three-pointer late in the half from the corner to give the Demon Deacons their largest lead of the half.
UNCG connected on 40 percent (10-of-25) from the field and 37.5 percent (3-of-8) from long range in the first half. Simpson led the Spartans with nine points while Armstrong added eight points off the bench as he was 3-of-4 shooting. Wake Forest connected on 48 percent (12-of-25) from the field and 55.6 percent (5-of-9) from three-point land. Harris led the Demon Deacons with nine points as nine different players scored for WFU.
The Spartans came out of the break and narrowed the gap to six points at 40-34 as Simpson hit a jumper and junior
David Williams (Jacksonville, Fla./First Coast) hit his first three-pointer of the season. Wake Forest responded with an 8-2 run to extend the lead back to double figures.
UNCG tried to make a push a couple of times down the stretch but each time it did, Wake Forest was there to stop the run and retake the momentum. The Demon Deacons out-scored the Spartans 46-41 in the second half as they shot 57.7 percent (15-of-26) while also hitting 82.4 percent (14-of-17) from the charity stripe down the stretch.
Fifth-year senior forward
Kelvin McNeil (Newport News, Va./Delaware) paced the Spartans on the glass with seven rebounds as the two teams combined for just nine offensive rebounds.
The Spartans will be off for the holiday break until Monday, Dec. 31 when they travel to No. 25 N.C. State. Game time is now set for 5 p.m. at the PNC Arena in Raleigh.
- UNCG -
