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Second Half Run Pushes Spartans Past Bobcats

D.J. Brown. Photo courtesy of LMC Athletics
D.J. Brown. Photo courtesy of LMC Athletics

Jan. 10, 2013. GREENSBORO, N.C. — Senior DJ Brown (Anderson, S.C.) poured in a squad-high 15 points to pace the Lees-McRae College men’s basketball team on Wednesday evening, as the University of North Carolina at Greensboro defeated the Bobcats by an 86-47 margin in a scrimmage at the Greensboro Coliseum.

Greensboro posted a field goal percentage of 51.6 percent on the night, including a 59.4 percent clip in the second half, while holding Lees-McRae to a mark of 30.2 percent from the floor in the contest. The Spartans won the battle on the glass by a 41-32 margin, including a 30-23 advantage on the defensive boards, while converting 21 Bobcat miscues into 29 points.

Brown paced the Bobcats with 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting, knocking down five three pointers as Daniel Sepokas (Illawong, Australia) chipped in eight markers and a team-high seven rebounds. DeAndre Tillman (Charlotte, N.C.) added seven boards of his own as Charles Clarke (Orlando, Fla.) posted eight points with a 3-for-8 night from the floor, including a 2-for-3 clip from downtown.

Nicholas Paulos led the way for Greensboro with a game-high 26 points, knocking down eight three-pointers as Derrell Armstrong added 19 markers with an 8-for-12 night from the floor. Kayel Locke chipped in 14 points, while Kelvin McNeil posted a team-high nine boards for the Spartans.

The Bobcats hung tough throughout the first half, evening the tally at 10-10 on a rainmaker by Clarke at the 12:22 mark before Greensboro answered with a 15-5 run, opening a 25-15 advantage on an Armstrong lay-in with 5:47 left on the clock. Brown would answer with his first trey of the night, cutting the lead to 25-18 before the Spartans closed the half on a 10-7 run to take a 35-25 advantage into the intermission.

Greensboro carried the momentum into the second half, opening the period with a 21-4 run to push the lead to 56-29 with 12:46 to play. Brown would answer once again for the Bobcats, knocking down back-to-back triples to close the gap to 56-35 with 12:10 left on the clock.

The Spartans countered with a 7-0 spurt, widening the margin to 63-35 before Sepokas sunk a tough jumper and converted the ensuing freebie to cut the lead to 63-38 at the 9:37 mark. Greensboro answered once again with a 16-4 run, pushing the margin to 79-42 on triples by Paulos and Parker with 5:05 remaining in the contest. The Spartans would close out the game with a 7-5 spurt to equal the final margin of 86-47.

Lees-McRae returns to the court on Saturday when the Bobcats host Queens University of Charlotte to resume their Conference Carolinas schedule at 4 p.m. in Williams Gymnasium.