BRACCIANO, Italy - The UNC Greensboro men's basketball team concluded their Italian tour with an 84-65 win over College Italia on Wedensday afternoon.
The Spartans had four players in double figures, led by Ben Stywall who had 22 points.
UNCG, which led from start to finish, started the game with a
quick three-pointer from senior Ricky Hickman. The Spartans jumped
out to an 8-3 lead behind buckets from Stywall and Pete Brown, who
tallied 11 points in the victory.
The Spartans were able to push their lead to 12-5 with just over
four minutes remaining, but the Italian professionals were able to
cut the lead to 12-8 with a long three. Bart Tooms, playing in his
last game as a Spartan, hit a two in the paint to puch the lead to
15-8. The teams traded buckets but UNCG came out on top at the end
of the quarter with a 19-10 lead.
College Italia came out and opened the second frame with a bucket
to cut the lead to 19-12 but back-to-back buckets from Stywall and
Brown pushed the lead to 23-12 at the 7:20 mark.
The Italian professionals were able to cut the lead to 24-17
with just under seven minutes remaining. The teams began to trade
buckets and a 7-2 run cut the lead to 26-21.
The professionals were able to get the lead as close as three, but
the Spartans were able to further the gap with a three from
Kovisto. UNCG hit a long three as the buzzer sounded to take a
42-35 lead into the locker room.
UNCG was able to put the game away in the third quarter, however.
The Spartans opened with a 9-2 run to punch the score to 51-36
midway through the quarter and began to pull away from there. UNCG
closed the quarter with a 6-0 run to push the score to 65-47 and
didn't look back.
- UNCG -