ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men's basketball team fell to UNC Asheville, 82-77, in a neutral site battle on Tuesday night at Harrah's Cherokee Center.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Asheville's Toyaz Solomon scored the first basket of the game at 19:46 for the Bulldogs' only lead of the first half. The Spartans scored eight-straight points, including three pointers from Landon King and Noah Norgaard to take an 8-2 advantage at the 18:00 mark. UNCG kept its distance and saw an eight-point gap, its largest of the first half, five times during the frame. The Bulldogs went on a 7-2 run late, cutting the deficit to three, 32-29, but KJ Younger completed an and-one play putting the Spartans' lead to six, 35-29. Asheville continued to pressure UNCG and completed the first half with a jumper and a three-pointer, leaving the Spartans with a three-point edge, 39-36, at the break.

Neely made a layup to start the second half, 41-36, but Asheville went on a nine-point run, for its first lead since the start of the game, 45-41, with 16:55 left in the half. The two teams traded three pointers, as the Bulldogs came out on top, 56-53, following two tied scores with 12:39 on the clock. This jump started a 10-0 run by Asheville to go up double figures, 63-53. The Bulldogs saw their largest advantage of 13 twice in the half, with the latter at 4:48, 74-61. UNCG utilized an 8-3 run, cutting the deficit to six, 77-71, with 31 seconds left. The Spartans' Assane Mandian and King each drained a three pointer in the final 16 seconds, but it wasn't enough as the Bulldogs saw DJ Patrick go 2-for-2 at the free throw line to give Asheville the 82-77 victory.
 
BY THE NUMBERS

• Mandian's 11 points is a new career best.
• This is the seventh game this season, where three or more Spartans have scored double figures.
• King's 12 points is a season best.
• Donald Whitehead Jr paced the team with 13 points and a season-best five assists.
• Neely fell just one point shy of a double-double, collecting 10 rebounds, for a game-best, and tallying nine points.
• Asheville outmatched UNCG with points in the paint (32-30), points off turnovers (13-6), and second chance points (12-7).
• UNCG had 29 points from the bench, while the Bulldogs had three points from the bench.

RECORDS
UNCG: 1-8
UNCA: 4-4

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UP NEXT
The Spartans wrap up their six-game road slate with another in-state battle, taking on East Carolina on Saturday, Dec. 6 in Greenville, North Carolina, at Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum at 4:00 p.m.