GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNCG men's basketball senior forward Kayel Locke (Baltimore, Md./McDonogh) played huge down the stretch Sunday afternoon as the Spartans rallied from a 10-point second half deficit to defeat Jacksonville 71-69 in the final game of the Spartan Showcase at the Greensboro Coliseum. Navy won the Spartan Showcase with a perfect 3-0 record on the weekend while IPFW was second with a 2-1 mark, UNCG was third at 1-2 and Jacksonville was fourth with an 0-3 record.

Locke scored a game-high 19 points in the victory, including nine of the Spartans' final 11 points in the last 4:13 of the game. He connected on 8-of-14 from the field, including hitting his last three shots from the field. Sophomore forward Marvin Smith (Richmond, Va./Fork Union Military Academy) posted his first career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds in the victory.

Locke was named to the Spartan Showcase All-Tournament team for his efforts on the weekend, including the 19-point showing Sunday. Navy's Shawn Anderson and Will Kelly along with Max Landis and Mo Evans of IPFW rounded out the All-Tournament Team. Anderson was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

Seven different Spartans scored at least seven points in the victory as UNCG connected on 42.4 percent (25-of-59) from the field and hit 37 percent (10-of-27) from long range, including 7-of-14 (50%) in the second half. Junior Diante Baldwin (Greensboro, N.C./High Point Christian) scored nine points, dished out five assists and grabbed five rebounds in the victory.

Senior guard Asad Lamot (Mebane, N.C./Lees-McRae) and junior Clay Byrd (Connelly Springs, N.C./East Burke) finished the game with nine points apiece as they both hit three 3-pointers. Junior center R.J. White (Frisco, Texas/Frisco) added seven points and eight rebounds in the balanced scoring attack.

Jacksonville (2-5) finished the night shooting 43.9 percent (25-of-57) from the field, including just 34.6 percent (9-of-26) in the second half when it was out-scored 41-31. Kori Babineaux led the Dolphins with 17 points but all of that came in the first 12 minutes of the game as he was held scoreless in the second half. Josh Adeyeye added 14 points while Marcel White finished with 13 points and eight assists.

The two teams started slowly with Jacksonville taking an early 18-13 lead with Kori Babineaux doing most of the damage early. Babineaux scored 12 of the first 18 points for the Dolphins. The Spartans scored six straight points to pull within one at 20-19 with 9:45 left. Lamot hit a 3-pointer off the bench while Baldwin scored on a drive to make it a one-possession game.

Jacksonville answered back with a 11-2 run to take a 21-31 lead. Babineaux led the way with 17 points in the first 12 minutes of the game before picking up his second foul of the half. Josh Adeyeye added eight points in the first half off the bench, including a pair of 3-pointers.

UNCG went into the locker room trailing 38-30 as it connected on 40.7 percent (11-of-27) from the field but just 23.1 percent (3-of-13) from long range in the half. Locke led the Spartans with seven points while Baldwin also chipped in seven points. Jacksonville connected on 51.6 percent (16-of-31) from the field and hit 6-of-12 (50%) from long range in the half.

Jacksonville took its largest lead of the night to start the second half as White hit a jumper to put the Dolphins in front 40-30. The Spartans answered back with seven straight points as Locke and Byrd hit back-to-back 3-pointers to pull within three at 40-37.

The Dolphins weathered the first run and held a 47-38 lead with 14:17 left after an Adeyeye basket. The Spartans again made a run, this time posting an 11-3 spurt to pull within one at 51-50 with 11:36 remaining. Smith started the run with a 3-pointer before Lamot hit back-to-back 3-pointers of his own before Smith made it a one-point game with a pair of free throws.

After White gave Jacksonville a 54-50 lead with a 3-pointer, Byrd nailed a pair from distance to give the Spartans a 56-54 lead, a lead UNCG would not relinquish down the stretch. The teams traded baskets from that point forward with UNCG getting contributions throughout the lineup as freshman Demetrius Troy (Raleigh, N.C./Word of God) scored a pair of baskets to keep the Spartans in the lead.

Jacksonville would tie the game at 62-62 with 3:11 left on a pair of free throws by Darien Fernandez. The Spartans made that tie short-lived though as Locke went to work in the post, scoring on back-to-back possession for a 66-62 lead. After the teams traded free throws, Baldwin was fouled and went to the line with UNCG nursing a 67-63 lead. Baldwin missed the free throw but Locke muscled his way in for an offensive rebound and put back to give the Spartans a 69-63 lead with 1:07 remaining and some much needed breathing room.

Adeyeye hit a big 3-pointer for the Dolphins to keep the game close by Baldwin calmly hit a pair of free throws with 20.0 seconds remaining to seal the victory.

The Spartans will be back in action Wednesday night as they travel across Greensboro to meet rival N.C A&T. Game time at the Corbett Sports Center is set for 7 p.m.

-UNCG-