CHARLESTON, S.C. – Connor Kern hit his first seven 3-pointers and ended the night with 10 treys en route to recording his first-ever 30-point performance as The Citadel basketball team dropped a Southern Conference game, 100-96, to UNC Greensboro despite leading by as many as 16 in the second half.

Kern's 10 made 3-pointers matches the overall program record for treys made in a single game, but set the program record for 3-pointers made against an NCAA Division I opponent.

Game Information
Location: Charleston, S.C. (McAlister Field House)
Final Score: UNCG 100, The Citadel 96
Records: UNCG (25-5, 14-3 SoCon), The Citadel (12-16, 4-13 SoCon)
Series: UNCG leads, 28-9

KEY PLAYS AND STATS

• After UNCG won the opening tip, Francis Alonso missed the first shot of the game, and Kern made sure to make him pay as he easily drilled the Bulldogs' first 3-point attempt of the game.
• Kern would go on to make his first seven 3-pointers in a row.
• With just under 13:00 to play in the first half, UNCG opened up its largest lead of the game, a five-point, 20-15 advantage after Demetrius Troy converted a triple.
• The two teams traded the lead back and forth nine times from there, with Matt Frierson giving The Citadel a 41-40 lead off one of his five 3-pointers with 4:03 left in the period.
• The Bulldogs held on to the lead deep into the second half, and took a one-point, 50-49 lead into the locker room at halftime.
• The Bulldogs recorded 13 of their 22 3-pointers in the first half alone, and connected on 68.4 percent (13-of-19) of their attempt from beyond the arc. In comparison, the Spartans shot 38.1 percent from beyond the arc, knocking down eight of their 21 3-point attempts in the period.
• The second half began with the Bulldogs scoring on their first five possessions, including five points off a pair of UNCG turnovers.
• In the first minute of the second half, Kern knocked down another two 3-pointers.
• With 17:00 left in regulation, Zane Najdawi converted one of his two 3-pointers, stretching the lead to 16, 68-52.
• From there, UNCG steadily clawed back into contention, and with 12:08 left, the Bulldog advantage was just eight, 77-69, after Troy hit a 3-pointer.
• With 8:49 left in the game, UNCG retook the lead off an Alonso 3-pointer.
• The two teams traded the lead back and forth four times from there, but the Spartans took the lead back for good with 4:03 left in the game when Isaiah Miller converted both free throws.
• The Bulldogs managed to cut the lead to just one twice in the closing minutes, but UNCG managed to hold on for the four-point victory.
• For the game, The Citadel shot 50.8 percent (33-of-65) from the field, including 52.4 percent (22-of-42) from beyond the 3-point arc. The 'Dogs also hit on 80.0 percent (8-of-10) of their free throw attempts.
• UNCG ended the game shooting 54.7 percent (35-of-64) from the field, 44.4 percent (16-of-36) from beyond the 3-point arc. The Spartans struggled at the charity stripe, hitting just 14 of their 23 free throws (.609).
• Kern led all scorers with 32 points, hitting on 11 of his 15 (.733) shots from the field, including 71.4 percent (10-of-14) from beyond the arc in 39 minutes of action.
• Four of the Bulldogs' starting five ended the game in double figures, including Lew Stallworth's 20 points, Frierson's 17 and Najdawi's 13.
• Stallworth recorded his fifth double-digit assist performance with 12, one off his career high. Stallworth's double-double was the seventh of the season for the grad transfer.

NOTABLES

• UNCG entered the game eighth in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top-25 poll.
• The 96 points scored by the Bulldogs were the most since scoring 127 against Johnson & Wales earlier this season on Dec. 5.
• The Bulldogs' 22 made 3-pointers were the most since The Citadel converted 23 against High Point back on Nov. 27.
• The Bulldogs shot 50.8 percent (33-of-65) from the field, marking the highest shooting percentage since hitting on 52.3 percent (46-of-88) against Johnson & Wales.
• The Bulldogs' 52.4 percent (22-of-42) shooting from 3-point range was the highest since converting 57.5 percent (23-of-40) against High Point.
• The Bulldogs' 22 assists were the most since recording 27 against Johnson & Wales.
• Kern is the third Bulldog this season to eclipse the 30-point mark, setting a new career high in both points (32) and 3-pointers made (10). Both Stallworth and Frierson have also reached the mark with Stallworth accomplishing the feat twice against Western Carolina.
• Kern's 10 made 3-pointers set the program record for treys made in a game against an NCAA Division I opponent. The 10 treys match the overall program record, set by Quayson Williams two seasons ago and matched by Frierson earlier this year.
• Stallworth's 12 assists were one off his career high of 13 and marked the fifth time this season he has recorded double-digit assists.
• Stallworth's 12 assists are tied for the second most in a single game.
• With his 12 assists Thursday night, Stallworth jumped up to second in program history for assists in a single season with 176. He is just three away from tying Jimmy Tharpe's 1985-86 season.
• Stallworth ended the night with 20 points scored against UNCG, giving him 565 points this season. The mark jumped Stallworth from seventh to fourth in program history for scoring in a season.
• Stallworth's 213 made field goals this season are the fourth most in program history for a season.
• With his five made 3-pointers Thursday night, Frierson moved up into third for 3-pointers made in a season with 99.
• Najdawi converted five field goals against the Spartans, giving him 550 for his career. The mark moves the Midlothian, Virginia up to sixth in program history.
• Najdawi swatted away three shots Thursday against UNCG, marking the 57^th game the senior forward has recorded multiple blocks in a game.

COMING UP
The Bulldogs hit the road for the final regular-season game of the season, traveling to VMI for a 1 p.m. tipoff on Saturday, March 2.

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