NASHVILLE, TENN. – Graduate student
Keyshaun Langley and senior
Mikeal Brown-Jones combined for 50 points, as the UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men's basketball team fell short to Vanderbilt, 74-70, Tuesday night at Memorial Gymnasium.
This was the third meeting in program history between the two teams. This was the smallest deficit against the Commodores for the Spartans.
HOW IT HAPPENED
UNCG held two early first half advantages, with the second coming from a Keyshaun jumper at 17:55 on the clock. The Spartans kept the deficit within single digits, until the Commodores Ezra Manjon made one of his two three pointers with 5:49 remaining in the first half. Vanderbilt utilized a 15-2 run, starting at 9:30, to grow a 16-point lead, 35-19, its largest of the first half. UNCG concluded the opening half with a 10-6 run to cut the deficit to 12, 41-29, heading into the locker room. Seven of the 10 points came from Keyshaun.
Even with UNCG improving its field goal percentage to 45.95 and holding Vanderbilt to 33.33-percent in the second half, the Commodores kept the advantage. A 16-5 run, starting at 15:42 in the second half, cut the Spartans' deficit to single digits. At 12:54,
Domas Kauzonas in his first-collegiate appearance recorded his first block to keep UNCG within 10, 53-43. The final points of the run concluded with back-to-back layups from Brown-Jones, 56-49. As the score toggled back and forth, the Spartans came within two twice in the final three minutes, but ultimately, Vanderbilt secured the win with six free throws in the last 30 seconds of the game, 74-70.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Brown-Jones scored a career-high 24 points.
- Keyshaun led the Spartans with 26 points.
- Jalen Breath picked up a career-best eight rebounds.
- Kobe Langley had a game-high six assists, while adding seven points and four rebounds.
- UNCG scored 15 points off of turnovers to Vanderbilts zero.
- The Spartans outscored the Commodores 28-12 in the paint.
- Vanderbilt outshot UNCG behind the arc, 37.9-24.1.
RECORDS
UNCG: 1-1
Vanderbilt: 2-1
UP NEXT
The Spartans will hit the road for their second of five games. UNCG will face No. 14 Arkansas next on November 17 at 8:00 p.m. EST/7:00 p.m. CST at the Bud Walton Arena on the SEC Network+.