YPSILANTI, Mich. – The UNCG men's basketball team battled hard for the third straight day, but the Spartans dropped a 76-67 contest to Youngstown State in the EMU Showcase at the Convocation Center in Ypsilanti, Mich. The Spartans played with only eight players, seven scholarship, for the third straight day due to five injuries at the guard spot.

Redshirt sophomore center R.J. White (Frisco, Texas/Frisco) led the attack with his second double-double of the season. White scored 20 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in the loss as he was 8-of-16 from the field, including a career-high four 3-pointers. Sophomore guard Tevon Saddler (Aberdeen, Md./St. Frances Academy) added 11 points, seven rebounds and five assists while senior Nicholas Paulos (Salt Lake City, Utah/New Hampton) finished with 10 points.

The Spartans connected on 42.4 percent (25-of-59) from the field and hit 41.7 percent (10-of-24) from 3-point land in the loss. The Spartans also only went to the free throw line 10 times Sunday while Youngstown State connected on 21-of-27 (77.8%) from the charity stripe. Marcus Keene led the Penguins with 28 points as he was 6-of-8 from 3-point land while hitting all six free throws. Bobby Hain added 20 points and nine rebounds while DJ Cole dished out nine assists for YSU.

The two teams came out of the gate trading baskets back and forth until Youngstown State posted an 11-3 run to take a 27-17 lead. Keene did most of the damage for the Penguins on the outside, hitting four 3-pointers, while Hain added six points in the early going.

The Spartans reversed the tide from that point on, closing the first half on a 17-5 run to take a 34-32 lead into the locker room. Saddler started the stretch with a 3-pointer while Paulos scored five points in the run, including a 3-pointer that pulled the Spartans within one.

Junior walk-on Asad Lamot (Mebane, N.C/Lees-McRae) provided an unlikely spark off the bench as he scored five straight to end the half, including his first career 3-pointer with 15 seconds left to give UNCG the lead. The Spartans connected on 46.7 percent (14-of-30) from the field and 46.2 percent (6-of-13) from long range in the first half. White led the way with eight points and five rebounds while Lamot scored a career-high seven points in the first 20 minutes.

Youngstown State connected on 48 percent (12-of-25) from the field and 45.5 percent (5-of-11) from long range but committed nine first half turnovers, which the Spartans turned into seven points. Keene led the Penguins with 12 points while Hain added 11 points and five rebounds.

The Spartans came out of the halftime break and scored five straight points to force Youngstown State into an early timeout. White scored all five to start the second half, hitting a 3-pointer and scoring in the paint. The Penguins responded with five straight and eventually tied the game at 46-46.

Youngstown State retook the lead for good with an 8-2 run and maintained it down the stretch. The Spartans rallied multiple times in the second half to make it a one-possession game but could not get over the hump. Byrd pulled UNCG within three at 61-58 with 4:12 left but Youngstown State hit 13 of it final 14 from the free throw line to seal the victory.  

The Penguins finished the game shooting 46 percent (23-of-50) from the field and hit 45 percent (9-of-20) from long range. Additionally, YSU held a 37-30 edge on the glass, including 10 on the offensive boards.

Byrd finished the game with nine points and four assists as he was 2-of-8 from long range and hit all three of his free throws. Junior Kayel Locke (Baltimore, Md./McDonogh) added eight points on 4-of-6 shooting in just 17 minutes before fouling out while Lamot ended with seven points in 14 minutes before also fouling out.

The Spartans return to action next Friday night when they travel to Big Ten perennial power Indiana. Game time is set for 9 p.m. and will be nationally televised on the Big Ten Network.

-UNCG-