YPSILANTI, Mich. – Despite hitting a game-tying three-pointer at the end of regulation, the UNCG men's basketball team opened the EMU Showcase Friday evening with an 81-79 overtime loss to Longwood at the Convocation Center in Ypsilanti, Mich. The Spartans held a four-point lead with 1:32 left in the extra period, but Longwood closed the game on a 7-1 run to take home the victory.

Redshirt sophomore center R.J. White (Frisco, Texas/Frisco) led four Spartans in double figures with his first double-double of the season. White scored a team-high 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as he was 8-of-14 from the field in 34 minutes of action. Sophomore guard Clay Byrd (Connelly Springs, N.C./East Burke) scored a career-high 18 points in his third career start as he was 6-of-11 from 3-point land while playing a career-high 42 minutes.

Sophomore guard Tevon Saddler (Aberdeen, Md./St. Frances Academy) finished the game with 19 points as well despite playing only 27 minutes. Saddler hit the game-tying 3-pointer with 2.4 second left in regulation but fouled out early in the overtime period. Senior guard Nicholas Paulos (Salt Lake City, Utah/New Hampton School) rounded out the Spartans in double figures with 12 points and seven assists while junior Kayel Locke (Baltimore, Md./McDonogh) added eight points and eight rebounds.

The short-handed Spartans played only seven scholarship players in the loss and suffered another injury during the game when senior Jamal Mitchell (Charlotte, N.C./Gardner-Webb) went down early in the first half with a knee injury after playing only four minutes. Four Spartans played over 30 minutes in the loss, including a career-high 44 minutes for Paulos and 42 from Byrd.

Longwood (2-1) was led by Darrion Allen's 22 points, 18 of which came after halftimem, as he was 7-of-14 from the field, including four 3-pointers. Lotanna Nwogbo posted a double-double before fouling out late in the second half with 18 points and 12 rebounds as he was 10-of-11 from the free throw line. Ryan Badowski added 15 points off the bench while Shaquille Johnson chipped in 13 points.

The Spartans finished the game shooting 43.9 percent (29-of-66) from the field and hit 11-of-28 (39.3%) from long range. UNCG was off the mark at the free throw line hitting just 58.8 percent (10-of-17), including 3-of-6 in the extra frame. Longwood conversely went to the free throw line 11 more times than the Spartans and connected on 75 percent (21-of-28). The Lancers also hit 41.9 percent (26-of-62) from the field and 8-of-26 (30.8%) from long range.

The two teams came out slowly with the Spartans scoring the first five points on their way to an early 23-13 lead. Byrd was the offensive catalyst in the early going, hitting three early from long range. Longwood came back and posted a 10-2 run to narrow the gap to two before tying the game at 28-28 going into the halftime break.

The Spartans held a slim 37-36 lead early in the second half when Saddler picked up his fourth foul of the game. Longwood answered with seven straight to force a UNCG timeout before Byrd got the Spartans back on track with his fifth 3-pointer of the game. The Lancers kept pressing and took a 56-50 lead as Allen hit another 3-pointer. The Spartans responded with seven straight points, including five from White as he nailed a 3-pointer to cap the spurt.

Longwood held a 67-63 lead with 19 seconds remaining in regulation as Badowski hit a three-pointer with the shot clock running down. Saddler was fouled and hit his first free throw but missed the second. White was there on the rebound and tipped in the shot to make it a one-point game at 67-66. After a pair of free throws by Leron Fisher gave the Lancers a 69-66 lead, Saddler came out of a timeout and nailed a 3-pointer with 2.4 seconds left to send the game into overtime.

The teams traded baskets in the early part of the overtime and were tied at 74-74. White converted a pair of free throws and scored in the paint on consecutive possessions to give the Spartans a 78-74 lead with 1:32 remaining. The Spartans held on defense and got the ball back but committed a costly turnover with 1:13 left to play.

Allen made UNCG pay as he nailed a 3-pointer with 55 seconds left to make it a one-point game. After Paulos hit one of two from the line, Allen nailed another 3-pointer with 28 seconds left to give Longwood an 80-79 lead. White missed both of his free throws on the ensuing possession but Fisher only made one of his two for a two-point 81-79 lead. The Spartans were unable to get a good look off on the basket in the final two possessions as Longwood held on for the improbable victory.

The Spartans committed 24 turnovers in the loss and those turnovers led to 27 points against. The Spartans out-rebounded Longwood by a 43-39 advantage in the loss but allowed 12 offensive rebounds, including a key one in overtime allowing the Lancers an extra possession.

UNCG continues the EMU Showcase Saturday evening as it plays tournament host Eastern Michigan at 7 p.m.

-UNCG-