Courtesy of Bryan Jones, Greensboro College Sports Information Director
GREENSBORO, N.C.—Greensboro College’s Greyson Collins (Greensboro, N.C./Caldwell Academy) and Kevon Meertins combined for 42 points as the Pride claimed a Tuesday Night victory over Roanoke College, 67-61.
Both teams traded baskets in the first six minutes of the first half as each side found themselves deadlocked, 10-10. As the half continued, neither side could extend a lead beyond one possession past the half-way mark of the period as the Pride tied the game with 9:47 left in the half off of a Meertins layup.
Collins began to spark the Pride offense at the 7:41 mark of the period on a three-point basket, beginning a stretch of nine-straight points from Collins. He capped his streak with a field goal at the 3:43 mark, pulling Greensboro ahead by one point. Their lead grew to three points within the last two minutes and held on the lead at halftime.
The Pride opened the first two minutes of the second half on a 7-0 run, extending their lead to nine points in the opening 1:49 of the period. Greensboro’s lead entered double digits on a Ty Hill three-pointer on the next possession with the Pride ahead, 45-35. Roanoke countered with an 8-0 run over a 2:18 portion of the period leading into the twelve-minute mark of the half to shrink the Pride lead down to one point.
The Pride clung to a one-possession lead for the next few minutes until Collins connected on a three-pointer at the 9:12 mark of the period to extend the lead back to two possessions, 57-52. The Maroons cut the Pride’s lead down to four with 6:54 left and then cut it down to one at the 5:10 mark after a timeout. Cassius Gary responded with a key three-point field goal at the 3:13 mark as the Pride’s lead grew to five points. Roanoke responded with a three-pointer of their own with 37 seconds left after the Pride extended their lead to seven points, but Greensboro would not relent in the final minute and secured the win.
The Pride shot 40.4 percent from the field compared to 44 percent from the Maroons. The Pride shot 38.5 percent (ten-for-26) from three-point range compared to Roanoke’s 25 percent (four-for-16).
Greensboro out-rebounded Roanoke, 39-35, and capitalized on 14 second-chance points compared to the Maroons’ eight. Roanoke held a 28-22 advantage in the paint as the Pride forced 21 Roanoke turnovers while the Maroons forced 17 Greensboro miscues.
Collins finished with 23 points on seven-of-16 shooting while amassing six rebounds and three steals. Meertins was the remaining Pride player in double-figure scoring, tallying 19 points on seven-of-11 shooting while also pulling down six rebounds. Matthew Brown bolstered Greensboro’s presence on the glass, posting ten rebounds.
Efosa Edosomwan led Roanoke with 16 points on six-of-18 shooting with nine rebounds.
The Pride (3-5) will officially begin their USA South Athletic Conference action this Friday, traveling to North Carolina Wesleyan College for a 4:30 p.m. contest.