GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men's basketball team gutted out a hard-fought 81-78 home win over the Western Carolina Catamounts on Wednesday at Bodford Arena in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Justin Neely led the Spartans with 25 points, 19 of which came from the free throw line, and 11 rebounds for his 15th double-double of the season and 22nd of his career. Lilian Marville was second on the team with 14 points from the field and rounding out the Spartans in double-digits was Noah Norgaard with 12.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Western Carolina made a layup and a three-pointer to start the game with a 5-0 lead before extending its advantage to eight, 10-2. UNCG responded with nine unanswered points to take the slight edge, 11-10, with 14:18 on the clock. The score toggled back and forth for a few minutes until the Catamounts took over the lead at 9:36 and then stayed ahead until Neely made four free throws to tie the game at 34-34, with 3:13 left in the half. Those free throws jumpstarted a 12-2 run for the Spartans, giving them a six-point cushion, 42-36, heading into halftime.
UNCG utilized a 7-1 run to begin the second half and hold a 12-point buffer, 49-37, its largest of the game. The Catamounts' offense came alive with a 17-5 run, tying the game at 54-54 with 12:26 left in the second half. The game was tied six more times, with the latter coming with three seconds on the clock following a pair of free throws from Neely knotting up the game, 78-78. A turnover by the Catamounts on the ensuing possession at mid-court led to a flurry of action that resulted in Neely getting fouled again and sent back to the line. The Miami Beach native knocked down all three free throws to bring the final score to 81-78.
BY THE NUMBERS
-
UNCG led Western Carolina in three-point percentage (45-37), free throw percentage (89-67), total rebounds (35-33), second chance points (12-10) and points in the paint (24-18).
-
According to our records, Neely's 21 free throw attempts are tied for the most in a single game by an individual player in program history. Francis Alonso's 21 attempts was set on Dec. 22, 2018, against Samford.
RECORDS
UNCG: 9-15, 5-6 SoCon
WCU: 8-14, 4-7 SoCon
UNCG MEN'S BASKETBALL TICKET INFORMATION
To secure your tickets for UNCG men's basketball home games click HERE for options including single games and group discounts, flex plans, and full season ticket options. For more information about upcoming ticket promotions or to purchase over the phone call the UNCG Ticket Office at 336-334-3250 or email admoore10@uncg.edu.
PURCHASE UNCG GEAR
Click here for your one-stop shop for all of your official UNCG merchandise! From apparel to accessories, there is something for everyone!
UP NEXT
The Spartans will hit the road to face Furman on Sunday, Feb. 8 at 1:00 p.m. in Greenville, South Carolina, at Timmons Arena on ESPN2.
