FAYETTEVILLE, ARK. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men’s basketball team returned to Arkansas for the second-straight year for an unfinished job. The Spartans upset No. 14 Arkansas 78-72 for their first ranked win in Division I program history at Bud Walton Arena on Friday night.
This was the third meeting in program history between the two teams. This was the first SEC win for UNCG in program history.
The Spartans handed the Razorbacks their first loss of the season and Head Coach Eric Musselman’s first loss in 37 games at Bud Walton Arena.
Three Spartans scored double figures, including Keyshaun Langley who dished out a game-high 23 points. Mikeal Brown-Jones dropped 17 points and Joryam Saizonou registered a season-high 12 pojnts.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Arkansas opened the game with a second-chance layup and made its second bucket of the game with 18:40 on the clock which were the only two leads the Razorbacks would have in the game. The Spartans went on an 11-2 run in four minutes of play for a seven-point advantage. A 9-2 run from Arkansas, starting at 14:10, tied the game for the second time, 15-15, at 9:52. UNCG’s first double-figure lead came with 1:40 left on the clock, as Tim Ceaser made the Spartans’ fourth three-pointer of the game after a steal from Kobe Langley. Keyshaun concluded the first half with the fifth three-pointer of the game for the Spartans, 38-24.
The Razorbacks opened the second half with a 15-5 run to cut the deficit to eight, 45-37. Both teams traded buckets with Arkansas coming within four twice, the smallest deficit of the second half. UNCG brought the lead back to double figures with 4:39 left on the clock thanks to a layup from Brown-Jones, 66-55. The Razorbacks cut the lead to five with 47 seconds left in the game, 74-69, with the Spartans maintaining the advantage on free throws to secure the win, 78-72.
BY THE NUMBERS
• UNCG outshot Arkansas from behind the arc (37.5-17.4).
• The Spartans edged the Razorbacks with points in the paint, 32-30, and rebounds, 32-30.
• UNCG had eight steals to Arkansas’ four.
• UNCG also had the edge in field goals, 48.1-43.6.
• Arkansas shot 80-percent from the charity stripe, compared to UNCG’s 73.9-percent.
• Tim Ceaser chipped in seven points and four rebounds.
• Domas Kauzonas, in his second collegiate appearance, tallied his first-collegiate points.
RECORDS
UNCG: 2-1
Arkansas: 3-1
UP NEXT
The Spartans continue their five-game road slate with three games in Nassau, The Bahamas. UNCG will begin the Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championship with Kansas City on Friday, November 24 with a start time of 11:00 a.m. UNCG will play another game on Saturday and Sunday, to be determined.
