The Citadel Outlasts UNCG Men’s Basketball in Overtime, 71-66
CHARLESTON, S.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men’s basketball team fell to The Southern Conference (SoCon) foe The Citadel Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon, 71-66, in overtime at McAlister Field House.
KJ Younger paced the game with 24 points, while Justin Neely was the only other Spartan to register double figures. Neely recorded his 14th double-double of the season and 21st of his career with 19 points and 13 rebounds.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams were scoreless until Younger made a layup at 17:50, 2-0, and the two teams traded three pointers, keeping UNCG up, 5-3. Younger drained another three pointer with 13:05 on the clock to tie the game, 10-10. The Citadel went on an 8-0 run for an 18-10 lead with 9:37 left in the half. A 10-5 run for UNCG cut the deficit to three, 23-20, with 5:07 on the clock. Neely tied the game at 28-28 with a layup at 1:26, but the Bulldogs went to the break with a two-point advantage, 32-30.
The Citadel continued to pester UNCG on both sides of the ball at the start of the second half, holding the lead until 9:50 on the clock. Back-to-back three pointers by Noah Norgaard gave the Spartans the lead, 54-51, with 9:21 left. Norgaard’s two three pointers were during UNCG’s 18-6 run giving the Blue & Gold a four-point gap, 57-53. The Citadel tied the game at 58-58 on a three pointer with 1:37 on the clock and the two teams traded layups before the end of regulation, taking the game into overtime.
The Bulldogs scored seven-straight points to begin overtime, 67-60, and maintained the edge the remaining time. Neely drained two free throws with 53 seconds left, 69-66, but the Bulldogs saw Christian Moore make his own two free throws to cap the game with a 71-66 score.
BY THE NUMBERS
Valentino Pinedo contributed nine points and eight rebounds.
Younger added five rebounds and three assists to his stat line.
Norgaard grabbed a career-best eight rebounds.
The Citadel outmatched the Spartans in three-point percentage (28.6-20.8), free throw percentage (65.0-56.5), points off turnovers (13-5) and bench points (22-6).
UNCG had the advantage in field goal percentage (42.1-38.7), points in the paint (38-26), second chance points (12-2) and fast break points (6-3).
RECORDS
UNCG: 8-15, 4-6 SoCon
The Citadel: 8-15, 5-5 SoCon
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UP NEXT
UNCG will split its time next week, first hosting Western Carolina on Wednesday, Feb. 4 at 7:00 p.m. at the First Horizon Coliseum. This will be UNCG’s “Blue Collar Night” and Blue Out: Wear Blue
The Spartans will then hit the road to face Furman on Sunday, Feb. 8 at 1:00 p.m. in Greenville, South Carolina, at Timmons Arena on ESPN2.
Courtesy of Denise Archetto
Assistant Athletic Director For Strategic Communications
UNC Greensboro