GREENSBORO, N.C. – Seniors Matt Frierson and Zane Najdawi both achieved career milestones Thursday night, but not much else went The Citadel basketball team's way as the Bulldogs fell, 83-60, to UNC Greensboro in Southern Conference action inside the Greensboro Coliseum.

Frierson set the program record for career 3-pointers made with his five treys and Najdawi converted his 500^th career field goal, becoming the only player in program history to score at least 1,000 points, bring down at least 600 rebounds, convert at least 500 field goals and block at least 100 shots in a career.

Game Information
Location: Greensboro, N.C. (Greensboro Coliseum)
Final Score: UNC Greensboro 83, The Citadel 60
Records: UNCG (18-3, 7-1 SoCon), The Citadel (9-10, 1-7 SoCon)
Series: UNCG leads, 27-9

KEY STATS

• After Najdawi opened the game by winning the tipoff and scoring the game's first bucket, UNCG went on a 7-0 run to take a five-point lead.
• Despite the quick spurt, the Bulldogs fought back and tied the game up with 15:58 to play in the first half when Hayden Brown converted a 3-point play off a layup and a foul.
• The Spartans then went on another quick, 7-0 run to establish a 14-7 lead, but a dunk by Najdawi and a 3-pointer from Frierson kept the game within reach.
• With 7:52 to play in the first half, Isaiah Miller hit his only 3-pointer of the game to give UNCG its first double-digit lead at 24-14.
• The Spartans ended the first half on a 14-3 run in the final 4:51 to take a 22-point, 43-21 lead into the locker room at halftime.
• The second half started off with UNCG going on a 5-0 run in the first two minutes, and with 14:01 to play in regulation, the Spartans' lead was 30, 58-28, after an Angelo Allegri jumper in the paint.
• The Bulldogs were able to fight and claw their way back into the game over the next eight minutes, pulling to within 16, 70-54, when Frierson hit another of his game-high six 3-pointers. However, that was as close as The Citadel would come as the Spartans closed out the game by out-scoring the Bulldogs 10-6.
• The Citadel shot 39.3 percent (24-of-61) from the field for the game, including 31.0 percent (9-of-29) from 3-point range after opening the game with a 16.7 percent (2-of-12) effort from long range in the first half.
• UNCG shot 46.2 percent (30-of-65) from the field for the game.
• UNCG out-rebounded The Citadel 44-34 and turned 18 Bulldog turnovers into 21 points.

NOTABLES

• For the seventh time this season, four of the Bulldogs' starting five finished the game in double figures. Frierson led the way with 18 points, Najdawi chipped in 12 points. and Brown and Lew Stallworth contributed 10 points each.
• With his second 3-pointer of Thursday night's game (16:10, H2), Frierson set the program record for 3-pointers made in a career. The senior finished the night with six treys, giving him 300 for his career.
• Frierson ended the night with 18 points, giving him 1,058 for his career. He is just one point behind former teammate Brian White (2013-17) for 29^th all-time in program history for scoring.
• With 12:40 to go in the first half, Najdawi slammed home his second dunk of the night, marking his third made bucket of the game. The dunk was the 500^th made field goal of Najdawi's illustrious career. Najdawi ended the night with six made field goals, giving him 503 for his career, a mark that has him in sole possession of ninth in program history.
• Najdawi is one of just four Bulldogs in program history to score 1,000 career points, corral in 600 career rebounds and convert 500 career field goals. He joins Mike Groselle (2009-13), Regan Truesdale (1981-85) and Cameron Wells (2007-11) in the honor.
• Najdawi is the only Bulldog to ever do all three and add over 100 blocks in his career.
• With 5:17 to play in the game, Najdawi brought down his 10^th rebound of the game, marking his 14^th career double-double and the fifth of the season for the senior from Midlothian, Virginia.
• Najdawi corralled in nine defensive boards Thursday night, moving him up another spot in The Citadel record book to fourth all-time for career defensive rebounds with 423.

COMING UP
The Citadel returns home this weekend to begin a three-game homestand. The stretch begins with the annual Pack the Mac and Military Appreciation Game against VMI on Saturday, Jan. 26. The game, which is sponsored by APECS, will feature a 1 p.m. tipoff on ESPN+. The 'Dogs will then host Furman (Jan. 31) and Wofford (Feb. 2) the following week.

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