GREENSBORO, N.C. – Playing its first game in 20 days, the UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men's basketball team displayed bursts of brilliance during a 58-54 setback to Furman in a nationally-televised Southern Conference contest at the Greensboro Coliseum Wednesday night.
In limiting Furman to 21 points below its season scoring average, UNCG displayed plenty of competitive character by defending with controlled rage and fury.
UNCG's
De'Monte Buckingham finished with a team-high 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting. Twelve of his points, including a breakaway dunk, were scored in the second half. The graduate senior also ended with seven rebounds.
Senior
Mohammed Abdulsalam was a beast in the paint as he finished with 11 points and nine rebounds. He made his first four shots of the contest. Junior
Kobe Langley's liquid moves and pinpoint accuracy resulted in 10 points for the Spartans, who held their second straight opponent below 60 points.
Furman got scoring from four players led by Mike Bothwell's 20 points.
Alex Hunter, who entered the game third in the conference in 3-point field goal percentage, finished with 16 points and five 3-pointers. Marcus Foster chipped in 13 points for the Paladins, who ended a four-game road losing streak.
Records
Furman 10-6 overall, 2-1 SoCon
UNCG 8-5, 0-1
Quotable
UNCG Head coach Mike Jones on the effort.
"Not the result we wanted, but I am proud of my team with the way we competed after such a long layoff and the changes we've had since we last played. Our execution wasn't where it needed to be down the stretch, but that's to be expected after such a long layoff and not playing against a lot of competition. Overall, proud of the guys for competing for 40 minutes and gave themselves a chance to win the game."
How It Happened
- The entire second half was played within an eight-point window.
- The game featured six lead changes and five ties.
- UNCG's largest lead was three points (33-30 and 36-33) on two different occasions in the second half.
- UNCG's last lead was 40-38 following a Kobe Langley step back jumper with 13:34 remaining.
- Dante Tracey made a 3-pointer to bring UNCG within, 54-52, with one minute remaining.
- Furman's Jalen Swanson made a tough basket 29 seconds later to expand Furman's edge to four points.
- UNCG made four 3-pointers in the second half.
- UNCG had seven assists on its 11 baskets after intermission.
- The Spartans trailed 30-28 at halftime.
- Kobe Langley beat the shotclock buzzer with a 3-pointer to give UNCG a 28-27 lead with 1:42 remaining in the first half.
- Miles Jones gave UNCG its first lead of the contest, 11-10, with 13:21 remaining in the first half.
- Bas Leyte scored UNCG's first basket in 2022 on a dunk at 7:08 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
- Furman sprinted to a 7-0 advantage.
By The Numbers
- UNCG scored 22 of its 28 first half points in the paint.
- Overall, the Spartans feasted in the paint with 34 points.
- Abdulsalam and Kobe Langley combined for 16 of UNCG's first half points.
- This is the 11th time in UNCG's last 12 games that Buckingham has finished with at least six rebounds.
- This is the fourth time this season that Kobe Langley has scored in double figures.
- It was also the fourth time this year he finished with a career best four assists.
- Keyshaun Langley had a season best three assists.
- Abdulsalam scored in double figures for the fourth time this season and the ninth time in his career.
- This was Abdulsalam's first double-digit scoring game since he tallied 14 against UMass on Nov. 19.
- Abdulsalam led UNCG with nine rebounds, his most in a game since he grabbed 11 in the season-opener on Nov. 9.
- Leyte added seven rebounds as UNCG won the rebounding battle, 38-23.
- UNCG didn't attempt a free throw in the second half.
- Bothwell attempted more free throws (five) than UNCG took as a team (three).
- The Paladins made 12 3-pointers.
- Thirty-one of Furman's 50 shots were 3-point attempts.
- In three of their last four losses, the opposition has made double-digit 3-pointers.
Up Next
- UNCG visits VMI on Saturday, Jan. 8 at 1 p.m.
