CHARLESTON, S.C. – Junior guard Matt Frierson became just the seventh Citadel men's basketball player in program history to convert 200 career 3-pointers, but his five treys Thursday night were not enough as the Bulldogs fell 82-66 to a stingy UNCG defense at McAlister Field House in Southern Conference action.

"I give all the credit to UNCG," said head coach Duggar Baucom. "They're very good defensively and they really got out and guarded us and pushed us off the line. We missed some open shots, but most of the credit has to go to them and how well they guarded."

Thursday's game pitted a top-10 defense against a top-10 offense as UNCG (21-6, 12-2 SoCon) entered Thursday's game sixth in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 62.5 points per game, while The Citadel (9-17, 4-10 SoCon) entered the week eighth in NCAA Division I in scoring offense, averaging 85.5 points per contest. The Spartans' defense proved to be the difference in the game as The Citadel was held to under 70 points for just the third time this season.

The Bulldogs were able to control the early going, easing out to a 3-0 lead off Kaelon Harris' 3-pointer just 1:17 into the game, and The Citadel was able to lead UNCG for the first 10 minutes of action, but UNCG's full-court press eventually allowed the Spartans to take the lead with 7:47 left in the first half.

The Citadel trailed by just seven, 37-30 at the intermission, and despite UNCG stretching the lead out to double digits twice in the early going of the second half, the Bulldogs were able to hang around with the Spartans early.

With 16:22 to play, Zane Najdawi hit a 3-pointer off an assist by Leandro Allende and nearly two minutes later, Najdawi tipped an in-bound pass to a waiting Harris under the basket, pulling the 'Dogs to within four, 45-41 of the Spartans.

But a 12-0 run by UNCG over the next three minutes took the wind out of The Citadel's sails, and with 2:58 left to play, the UNCG lead was 25, 81-56.

The Citadel shot 35% (21-of-60) from the field for the game, including hitting 13 of 37 attempts from 3-point range (35.1%). In comparison, the Spartans shot 47% (31-of-66) from the field for the game, but out-scored the Bulldogs 34-16 in the paint and 19-4 off turnovers.

Najdawi and Frierson each scored 15 points with Frierson's coming off the game-high five 3-pointers. Thursday marked the eighth time this season that Frierson has converted at least five treys in a game as he stretched his current streak of consecutive games with at least one trey out to 32. With his 15 points against the Spartans, Najdawi has now scored 1,099 career points, placing him 25^th in program history.

Harris ended the night with 11 points and six rebounds in 23 minutes of work.

The Spartans were led by Marvin Smith's 18 points, including four treys, while James Dickey finished with a double-double of 10 points and 10 boards.

FAST BREAK FACTS

• UNCG entered Thursday's game as a top-10 defense, allowing just 62.5 points per game, sixth-best in NCAA Division I. In comparison, the Bulldogs entered the game eighth in the nation with an average of 85.5 points per contest.
• The Bulldogs' 13 made 3-pointers against the Spartans is tied for the 16^th-most by a Bulldog team in a regular-season game. Thursday's game marks the 14^th time this season and the eighth time in SoCon play that he Bulldogs have converted at least 13 3-pointers in a game.
• Every Bulldog that was available Thursday night saw action in the game and all 11 that played scored at least two points.
• With his five 3-pointers Thursday against UNCG, junior Matt Frierson now has 200 career treys and 94 this season. He is just the seventh Bulldog to convert 200 career 3-pointers and his 94 threes this season has him in sole possession of third all-time in program history for treys in a single season. He needs just two more to catch second, held down by Noy Castillo's 1994-95 campaign. The record for 3-pointers in a season is 102 set by Travis Cantrell during the 2001-02 season.
• Frierson has now hit at least four 3-pointers in a game 21 times in his career, including 12 times this season alone.
• Frierson's 15 points give him 707 for his career, making him just the third Bulldog on the current squad to eclipse the 700-point mark, joining Zane Najdawi and Quayson Williams.
• With his five 3-pointers against the Spartans, Frierson has now hit at least one 3-pointer in 32 consecutive games and has converted at least five treys in eight games this year.
• Frankie Johnson had three steals Thursday night, giving him 93 for his career and 44 for the year. He needs just one more to crack the top-15 in program history for steals in a single season and he is now just 15 away from doing the same in career steals.
• Zane Najdawi scored 15 points Thursday night, marking the 11^th time this season that Najdawi has led the Bulldogs in scoring. It was also the fifth time in the last six games that Najdawi has led The Citadel in scoring.
• Najdawi's 15 points gives him 1,099 for his career, placing him 25^th in program history.
• Najdawi swatted away three shots Thursday, marking the 39^th time in his illustrious career that he has had multiple blocks in a game. It was also the ninth time this season he has accomplished the feat and Thursday's game marked the seventh game in a row that he has had at least one block.

UP NEXT
The Citadel will next host rival VMI on Saturday, Feb. 17 for the annual Pack the Mac contest. Tipoff is slated for 1 p.m.

2018 SOCON BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP TICKETS ON SALE
Tickets are now on sale for the 2018 SoCon Basketabll Championships held at the U.S. Cellular Center located in Asheville, North Carolina March 1-5, 2018. Ticket prices start at $20 for general admission to a single session. For more information or to order your tickets, call The Citadel ticket office at (843) 953-DOGS (3647) or visit CitadelSports.com and click on the "Tickets" tab.

For more information on The Citadel basketball team, follow @CitadelHoops and @CitadelSports or visit CitadelSports.com.