SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Wofford men's basketball team returned home for the first time since December 13, downing the UNCG Spartans 98-92 in double overtime in Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium on Saturday night.
"It was an incredible game," said Wofford head coach Jay McAuley. "Both teams were fighting, scratching and clawing. Going through some adversity. Some we could control, some we couldn't. But we just focused on being Wofford tough. There are so many of our guys that embody what that is and that showed up here in the biggest moments, and I'm so proud of this team."
Six players scored in double figures for the Terriers, with Storm Murphy and Nathan Hoover each totaling 17, while Tray Hollowell scored 15, with 12 of his 15 points coming after the first half.
"He was gritty down the stretch," McAuley said of Hollowell. "I think everybody has the confidence in him that he can step in and make plays."
Chevez Goodwin added 14 points, grabbing 10 rebounds for his second double-double of the season, while Ryan Larson scored a career-high 12 points and Isaiah Bigelow totaled 11 off the bench. As a team, Wofford was extremely efficient all game, shooting 52.5 percent from the floor and 45.2 percent from 3-point range, totaling 36 rebounds and dishing out 14 assists.
The game was the Terriers' first overtime game this season, and longest since they battled Western Carolina to a double-overtime loss in the 2016 SoCon Tournament. With the win, Wofford moves to 9-6 on the season, improving to 1-1 in SoCon play, while UNCG falls to 12-4 (1-2 SoCon).
"Every game for us is a must win," Hollowell said. "This is kind of a rivalry, so we definitely wanted to get this one. Storm and Trevor went down and we just wanted to fill in and pick those guys up."
Murphy got things going early, scoring a pair of buckets as the Terriers jumped in front 7-3. Wofford would put some breathing room between the two sides as Larson knocked down a 3-pointer that made the score 23-15 with nine minutes left in the first.
The Spartans clawed back, knotting the score up at 30 before Goodwin went to work down low, scoring a layup, grabbing an offensive rebound and converting again to put the Terriers ahead by one (36-35). UNCG would convert a pair of buckets and Murphy hit a floater as Wofford went into the break trailing 39-38.
Trevor Stumpe opened the second with a 3-pointer and after Larson scored, Stumpe found Murphy for a trey that made the score 46-41 in favor of Wofford. After the Spartans cut the deficit to two, Bigelow drained a 3-pointer that made the score 54-49 with 12:43 to play.
"We've had moments this year where we've gotten away from the way we want to play. Those last eight minutes of the first half where UNCG crept back in, we had to get back to sharing the ball and making it physical. I thought the way we came out in the second is the way we started. And we just have to keep building on that."
Stumpe grabbed a rebound and completed a three-point play as the Terriers looked to pull away. UNCG tied the score up at 61-61, but Wofford went on a 13-0 run to take a 13-point lead. The Spartans responded immediately, scoring 12 unanswered with 1:29 left in regulation. Keyshaun Langley connected from behind the arc to tie the score at 78-78, sending the game to overtime when each team failed to score on ensuing possessions.
Hoover opened up overtime with a three and after Murphy fouled out, Hollowell hit key free throws as the Terriers went ahead 83-79. Moments later, Hollowell rose up from the top of the three-point arc, rattling it home to give Wofford an 86-83 lead. Once again, UNCG responded, as Isaiah Miller knotted the game up at 86-86, forcing another overtime.
In the second overtime, Malik Massey hit a trey that gave the Spartans a two-point advantage. The next trip down, Larson fed Goodwin for a slam to knot the score up. Larson knocked down a free throw, skyed for a rebound, and hit two more from the line as the Terriers led 92-89 with 1:39 to play. Hollowell stepped up again, scoring a runner and hitting a pair of free throws as the Terriers went ahead by four. On the ensuing UNCG possession, Goodwin stepped in and drew a charge with 20.5 to play, Bigelow hit a pair of free throws and Goodwin snagged the final rebound of the night as Wofford prevailed 98-92.
"We had to do it by committee," McAuley said. "Storm went out with an unfortunate foul out, Stumpe fouled out with nine minutes to go on a weird hand check. So we had to weather some things, but guys like Tray stepped in and I'm really proud of all of them."
