Riddley Leads Pride Men To Victory Over Columbia International
Courtesy of Wes Gullett, Greensboro College SID
ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. – The Greensboro College men’s basketball team closed out the 2017 Roger Taylor Invitational at North Carolina Wesleyan College Saturday with a 94-72 victory over the Rams of Columbia International University.
With the game tied at 16 with just over ten minutes to play in the first half, Greensboro went on a 9-2 run to take a seven-point lead with 7:27 showing on the clock. Kyle Riddley, who finished with a game-high 27 points, started the run with five straight points, while Torrence Lathon added the remaining four points.
Following the Greensboro run, CIU was able to battle back over the next eight minutes to regain the lead at 36-35 before the Pride closed out final two minutes of the first half on a 11-6 run to take a 46-42 lead into halftime.
On the Pride’s first possession of the second half, Joseph Gatling hit a shot from three-point land to push the Greensboro advantage to seven points.
Much like the middle part of the first half, Columbia International was able to chip away at the Greensboro advantage and pull within one point at 52-51 with 16:06 left to play.
However, Greensboro was able to hold their advantage.
The Pride was then able to put together a 16-4 run that lasted five minutes to extend their lead back out to 13 points midway through the final period. The run featured four three-pointers. Gatling hit two shots from long-range, while Keyford Langley and Riddley had one each.
Over the final 10 minutes of play, Greensboro would not allow the Rams to get any closer, while pulling away for the 22-point victory.
Five other Greensboro players joined Riddley in double figures scoring. Trey Smith, Gatling and Langley had 12 points each, while Carmoni Marks and Lathon chipped in 10 points each.
The Pride finished the contest shooting 49-percent from the field and 42-percent from long-range.
Following the conclusion of the game, Riddley was named to the All-Invitational team.
The Greensboro men will return to action at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13 when they host the Falcons of Pfeiffer University. For more information on Greensboro College men’s basketball, continue to follow www.greensborocollegesports.com.