Box Score JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – The rivalry that grows intense with each meeting, churned out another classic.
In a fast-paced contest featuring nine lead changes, five ties, and lots of big-time shot making, the UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men's basketball team outlasted ETSU, 80-76, at Freedom Hall in a Southern Conference spine-tingler Wednesday. This was a fun one.
Of course, the biggest shot of the game belonged to
De'Monte Buckingham, who banked in a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from three steps beyond the half-court line at the end of the first. With 1.4 seconds remaining before halftime, Buckingham took a pass from
Miles Jones, turned and fired before the red LED lights came on behind the basket.
That shot, while it just goes in the scorebook as a 3-pointer, provided the juice the UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men's basketball team needed to rally from a 12-point first-half deficit.
Buckingham finished with 25 points to help UNCG win its second straight contest. In addition to finishing with a team-best seven rebounds, Buckingham, who made two 3-pointers in the final 39 seconds of the first half, increased his career scoring total to 1,472 points.
Kaleb Hunter sprang to life in the second half by scoring 11 of his 13 points. His 3-pointer with 1 minute, 46 seconds remaining gave UNCG the lead for good, 75-73. Overall, the Spartans made a season-high 10 3-pointers and scored more than 70 points for the first time since Nov. 30.
Buckingham's 3-pointer was all the rage following the emotional victory.
Quotable
Jones on Buckingham's 3-pointer.
"They work on that every day. It's the cliché in sports, that if you work on it, you're going to get better. We were going to run a play, but we saw they weren't guarding him at half-court. We said let's throw it straight to Buck. That was a big momentum play going into the second half.
Hunter on Buckingham's 3-pointer.
"That was crazy. I was looking at it. I already knew it was going in. Buck makes a half-court shot every day before shoot-around. It's nothing new for him. It's like a 3-point shot for him. That was amazing and hopefully he gets on SportsCenter. That was tough."
Buckingham on his 3-pointer to end the half.
"It's crazy because it's something I practice every day with (assistant coach)
Donny Lind after practice or shoot-around. We pick a spot at half-court and we shoot them all day until we make them. We've been doing it for a while so we knew what we were going to do in that situation. Luckily, I threw it up and I am blessed that it went in."
How It Happened
- UNCG's balance was the difference as it enabled the Spartans to survive a first-half eruption from ETSU's David King and a second-half explosion from Ladarrius Brewer.
- Langley buried a 3-pointer from in front of UNCG's bench with 52 seconds remaining that gave the Spartans their largest lead of the game, 78-73.
- Victory wasn't secured because the Bucs made a 3-pointer and had the ball with a chance to tie or take the lead in the final 20 seconds.
- During one point in the second half, teams traded 3-point baskets on five straight possessions (three from ETSU and two from UNCG).
- UNCG scored 40 points in each half.
- UNCG capped an 11-0 scoring surge that bridged the first and second halves with Dante Treacy scoring a layup to give UNCG a 45-44 lead.
- Buckingham's buzzer beater brought UNCG to within, 44-40, at intermission.
- ETSU led 33-21 with 6:09 remaining.
- Buckingham made UNCG's first basket of the contest for the fourth straight game with a 3-pointer that banked off the glass.
- Obviously that shot was a harbinger of great things to come for the Spartans.
Inside the Numbers
- Buckingham has scored in double figures in five consecutive games and 13 of UNCG's last 14 games.
- This was the 16th time this season that Buckingham has scored in double figures.
- Buckingham has scored in double figures 75 times during his career.
- This was the 14th time Buckingham has finished with at least 20 points in his career.
- Hunter reached double figures in scoring for the sixth time this season and the 36th time in his fantastic career.
- Treacy tied a season-high in assists with six.
- Bas Leyte added nine points and six rebounds.
- Mohammed Abdulsalam and Keyshaun Langley finished with eight points each.
- UNCG shot 58 percent (29-for-50).
- UNCG had 10 assists on its 14 first-half baskets.
- UNCG has hit three halftime buzzer-beaters this season.
- The other two belong to Kobe Langley.
- UNCG won the battle of the benches, 29-7, for the eighth straight game.
- The Spartans feasted in the paint, scoring 34 points.
- UNCG's 11-0 run was the eighth game in which the Spartans had a run of at least 10 consecutive points.
- Brewer scored ETSU's first 13 points of the second half.
- King scored 18 of his 23 points in the first half.
- Brewer scored 20 of his 22 points after intermission.
Up Next
- UNCG finishes its quick two-game road trip by visiting Wofford on Saturday at 7 p.m.
Fun Fact
- The head coaches, Jones (UNCG) and Desmond Oliver (ETSU) were assistants together on the University of Georgia staff from 2004-09.
