Box Score Game Box Score
SPARTANBURG, SC – Drew Gibson hit a three-pointer with four seconds left in the game to give the Wofford College men’s basketball team a 66-65 win over UNC Greensboro on Saturday night at Benjamin Johnson Arena. Gibson scored ten points for the Terriers in the final two minutes of the game.
Wofford improved to 4-2 on the season, while UNC Greensboro falls to 3-4 overall. It was the Southern Conference opener for both teams, with Wofford now 1-0 in conference play. The Terriers were led by Shane Nichols with 20 points in his first game played this season. Freshman Noah Dahlman had twelve points and ten rebounds, his second career double-double.
“I knew we just needed to hang in there and we could get some shots down,” said Wofford head coach Mike Young. “The guys did a great job in the full-court defense. We played with a lot of energy at the end and were able to climb back in there. Nichols and Gibson are wonderful guys and great basketball players, and they play better out there together. Matt Estep hit a couple big shots as well and Tyler Whatley did a masterful job defending Kyle Hines, one of the best.”
In the first half, neither team could get the offense going and Wofford held a 4-2 lead four minutes into the game. The Spartans then went on a 10-0 run to take a 12-4 lead at 12:47. After increasing the lead to ten points at 10:51, the Terriers came back with a 7-0 run, with all seven points by Shane Nichols.
The Terriers cut the lead to three several times in the last four minutes of the first half. After a three-pointer by Shane Nichols with 25 seconds left, the Spartans’ lead was down to one point. However a jumper by Kevin Oleksiak as time expired gave UNCG a three point lead at the break.
Noah Dahlman hit the first six points of the second half for the Terriers as the lead was once again cut to one point at 18:03. A Matt Estep three-pointer tied the game at 36-36. Following a layup by Kendall Toney, Matt Estep hit a second three-pointer to give the Terriers a 39-38 lead at 16:19. The lead was short-lived and with 11:14 to go in the second half the Terriers trailed by five.
The Spartans took a nine point lead with 4:47 remaining when Mikko Koivisto hit a three-pointer. With just under two minutes to play, Kyle Hines hit two free throws to give UNCG an eight point lead. Then, Drew Gibson took over the game. He hit a three pointer, then stole the ball on the inbounds play and put in a layup to cut the lead to 64-61.
Kyle Hines was fouled, but missed the front-end of a one-and-one with 1:04 remaining in the game and Junior Salters came up with the rebound. Drew Gibson hit a jumper with 26 seconds to go, cutting the lead to 64-63. After some trouble getting the ball in play, the Spartans were fouled. Dwayne Johnson hit only the second of two shots, giving UNCG a two-point lead with eleven seconds to go. With five seconds left on the clock, Drew Gibson hit a three pointer. The Spartans could not get off a shot as time expired, giving the Terriers the 66-65 win.
The Terriers held a slim 39-38 lead on rebounds. Matt Estep saw action for the first time this season and two-of-three three point attempts. Wofford held the Spartans to 41.4% from the floor; the Terriers have yet to allow a team to shoot better than 50% in a game. Wofford’s largest lead in the game was two points early in the first half.
UNC Greensboro was led by Kyle Hines with 17 rebounds and 19 points. It was his 34th career double-double and his 89th career game in double-digit points, a school record. Ben Stywall had eleven points in the game.
Following a break for exams, the Terriers will return to the court on Saturday, December 15 at Elon. The game will be first of five straight on the road for Wofford. The next home game will be Tuesday, January 3 against Chattanooga.
