GREENSBORO, N.C. (February 10, 2022) – The Citadel was not able this time to overcome a double-digit deficit to UNCG Thursday, as the host Spartans rode a commanding first-half lead towards an 86-66 decision.
Game Information
Score: UNCG 86, The Citadel 66
Records: The Citadel (10-13, 4-8), UNCG (15-10, 7-6)
Location: Greensboro Coliseum (Greensboro, N.C.)
Series: UNCG leads 34-10
Season Series: Tied 1-1
How it Happened
- A Hayden Brown three gave the Bulldogs an early 7-5 lead. It would be the team's last as UNCG answered with a 17-2 run to go up 22-9 with 9:27 left in the first half.
- The Spartans lived up to their SoCon-leading scoring defense, holding The Citadel to 28 first-half points to lead at halftime, 44-28.
- Brown and Jason Roche combined for 22 of those 28 points as no other Bulldog converted a field goal through the first session.
- The Citadel opened the second half more aggressively, as Roche and David Maynard opened with threes to set the tone.
- Despite the Bulldogs' best efforts, they were unable to get their deficit under double digits. The closest they got was using a 10-0 run to make the score 72-61 with four minutes remaining.
Inside the Box Score
- After shooting a season high in field goal percentage in Saturday's win over Samford, nearly cracking 60 percent, The Citadel made just 34.6 percent (18-of-52) against the Spartans, including 29.2 percent (7-of-24) in the first half. The Bulldogs went 8-of-29 from 3-point range and a more favorable 22-of-31 on free throws.
- UNCG finished at 53.8 percent (35-of-65), including 51.4 percent in the first half (18-of-35). They made 7-of-20 threes and 9-of-11 free throws.
- Jason Roche and Hayden Brown both had their second consecutive 20-point games, finishing as the game's top two scorers with 23 and 21 points, respectively. Brown also garnered his seventh double-double of the year and 23rd of his career with ten rebounds to match the game high with UNCG's Mohammed Abdulsalam.
- Roche finished 4-of-12 from 3-point range to total 20 threes in his last three games, while adding a lavish 9-of-10 touch from the free throw line.
- Brady Spence was the only other Bulldog Thursday to make at least two field goals, shooting 2-of-4 for four points, while adding four rebounds.
- David Maynard and Rudy Fitzgibbons III joined Roche and Brown as The Citadel's lone 3-point makers, with Maynard tacking on a perfect 5-for-5 night at the charity stripe for eight points.
Rising Through the Ranks!
- Jason Roche moved into fifth all-time for 3-pointers made in a season with 93, surpassing Kaiden Rice's 2020-21 total of 92. The all-time record is 114 set by Matt Frierson in 2017-18.
- Hayden Brown now stands alone in second on The Citadel's career double-double board with 23, putting him four away from Mike Grosselle's all-time total of 27. He also moved one spot up to 15th on the all-time career scorers list with 1,258 points, while his 643 career rebounds is seventh all-time.
Up Next
The Bulldogs head up to Lexington, Va. for a nationally-televised matchup at rival VMI Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.
