GREENSBORO, N.C. – Kaleb Hunter continued diving on the floor, dunking and, saving loose balls from going out of bounds.
Keyshaun Langley kept making clutch 3-point baskets.
Mohammed Abdulsalam battled consistently inside for tough baskets.
The Spartans never stopped fighting especially when they fell behind by 18 points in the second half. UNCG left every ounce of pride and sweat out on the floor as they continued to attack with desperation and intensity.
Unfortunately, time ran out and Mercer ended UNC Greensboro's three-game winning streak with a 73-64 victory in a Southern Conference contest at the Greensboro Coliseum Sunday afternoon.
Langley led UNCG with 19 points. Abdulsalam added 11 points and five rebounds.
Felipe Haase scored 17 of his game-high 28 points in the first half to help Mercer snap a three-game losing streak. Also reaching double digits for the Bears were Shannon Grant (12 points) and Kamar Robertson (11 points, five assists).
Records
Mercer 14-13 overall, 7-7 SoCon
UNCG 15-11, 7-7
Quotable
UNCG head coach Mike Jones on positives from the game.
"We played well over the last few games and hopefully this was just a blip in the road. We get back to who we've been the last three games and our identity shows through and do all the things that go into winning like diving on the floor and taking charges and being connected defensively. We did that in small spurts today. Now, we have to do that for a much more consistent length of time."
How It Happened
- UNCG opened the game strong behind Abdulsalam, who scored to give UNCG a 10-6 lead with 16:11 remaining in the first half.
- The Spartans led 12-11 at the first media timeout.
- Grant's basket gave the Bears the lead for good, 13-12.
- Mercer, who led by 13 points at intermission, opened a 45-27 lead with 17:04 remaining before the Spartans got going.
- Kobe Langley had the highlight of the contest when he stripped a Mercer defender, then used a behind the back dribble to make that player fall and finally fed a nice pass to Kaleb Hunter, who dunked.
- That play closed Mercer's lead to 55-47 with 8:08 remaining.
- Langley made a 3-pointer with 64 seconds remaining to bring the Spartans within 68-62.
- Overall, UNCG closed to six points on three different occasions in the final five minutes.
Inside the Numbers
- This was Keyshaun Langley's eighth time this season in double figures.
- Langley has 31 double digit games in his career.
- Abdulsalam has scored in double figures five times this season and 10 times in his career.
- Kobe Langley added nine points, three assists, and two steals.
- Bas Leyte and Hunter scored eight points each for the Spartans.
- Leyte had seven rebounds to lead UNCG.
- Leyte has finished with at least five rebounds 21 times this season.
- Leyte has grabbed at least five rebounds in eight straight games.
- The Spartans had seven steals, the 10th time during SoCon games they have finished with at least that many.
- UNCG had 13 assists on its 23 baskets.
- UNCG transformed 12 Mercer turnovers into 16 points.
Up Next
- UNCG begins its final road trip of the season with a visit to Chattanooga on Thursday, Feb. 17 at 7 p.m.
