0
0
ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The final seconds felt like they lasted forever.
With the crowd on its feet inside the Harrah’s Cherokee Center, Wofford rushed the ball up the floor for one last chance. The pass found Nils Machowski well beyond the three-point line, and the forward launched a desperate shot as the buzzer echoed through the arena.
For a moment, the entire building held its breath.
Then the ball drifted long.
Just like that, the UNC Greensboro Spartans men’s basketball survived.
Behind a dominant night from Justin Neely, UNC Greensboro escaped with a 75–72 victory over the Wofford Terriers men’s basketball in a bruising Southern Conference Tournament quarterfinal that swung wildly for much of the afternoon.
Neely controlled the paint from start to finish, piling up 22 points and an eye-popping 24 rebounds, repeatedly extending Spartan possessions when the game hung in the balance.
Still, Wofford refused to go quietly. The Terriers were powered by Kahmare Holmes, who scored 24 points, and Machowski, who added 22 points after a scorching first half, nearly carrying Wofford to a late comeback.
Early Momentum Belongs to the Spartans
From the opening tip, UNC Greensboro made its intentions clear.
The Spartans immediately worked the ball inside to Neely, who scored the first basket of the afternoon and began establishing himself on the glass. Offensive rebounds soon turned into second-chance points, helping UNCG jump ahead 8–3 before the first media timeout.
Wofford, meanwhile, struggled to find a rhythm early.
Machowski changed that.
The forward knocked down a deep three and followed it with another aggressive drive to the basket, accounting for the Terriers’ first eight points and preventing the Spartans from building a larger cushion.
Even so, UNC Greensboro kept answering.
Freshman guard KJ Younger, coming off a standout performance the night before, drilled a deep three-pointer that pushed the Spartan lead to 15–8, briefly quieting the Wofford faithful.
Terriers Settle In Before Halftime
Gradually, the Terriers began to look more comfortable.
Holmes attacked the basket for a pair of strong finishes, while Luke Flynn added another inside bucket as Wofford slowly chipped away at the deficit.
The breakthrough finally came midway through the half.
With 7:25 remaining before halftime, the Terriers grabbed their first lead at 21–20, drawing a roar from their fans scattered throughout the arena.
UNC Greensboro responded quickly.
Neely answered with a mid-range jumper over the defense, and moments later Noah Norgaard buried a three from the wing to swing the momentum back toward the Spartans.
From there, the two teams traded baskets in a tightly contested stretch to close the half. Machowski continued to find space offensively, knocking down jumpers and attacking the rim as he carried the Wofford scoring load.
By the time the halftime horn sounded, he had already scored 15 points, helping keep the Terriers within reach as UNC Greensboro took a 36–32 lead into the break.
Whatley Sparks the Second-Half Run
Wofford came out of the locker room determined to flip the game.
Guard Chace Whatley ignited the surge immediately, drilling a three-pointer to open the half. Moments later he hit another from the perimeter before slicing through the defense for a layup, scoring eight quick points that jolted the Terriers to life.
Then came one of the game’s biggest turning points.
A Wofford defender jumped an inbound pass near midcourt and raced the other direction, finishing the fast break while drawing contact. The and-one sent the Terrier student section into a frenzy and pushed Wofford ahead 46–42 with 14:10 remaining.
Suddenly, the momentum had completely shifted.
Holmes followed with another basket inside, stretching the lead to 51–44, and for the first time all afternoon the Spartans appeared to be on the ropes.
Spartans Fight Back
Tournament games rarely stay tilted for long, however.
UNC Greensboro regrouped behind the steady play of Younger and Norgaard. Younger attacked the rim to stop the bleeding before Norgaard connected from deep to trim the deficit and quiet the building.
The two guards continued to deliver when it mattered most.
Younger finished with 19 points, repeatedly driving into the paint for key baskets, while Norgaard added 17 points, including several timely three-pointers that halted Wofford runs.
Meanwhile, Neely kept dominating the boards.
Again and again he pulled down rebounds in traffic, extending possessions and preventing Wofford from building separation.
Holmes Leads One Final Push
Despite the Spartan rally, the Terriers refused to fade.
Holmes took control offensively down the stretch, attacking defenders off the dribble and knocking down tough jumpers to keep Wofford within striking distance. Machowski, who had sparked the team early, continued to contribute as well.
Together, the duo accounted for 46 of Wofford’s points, keeping the pressure on UNC Greensboro until the final seconds.
But every time the Terriers threatened to seize control, the Spartans found a response — often thanks to Neely’s relentless rebounding.
The Final Moment
In the closing seconds, Wofford still had one last opportunity.
Trailing by three, the Terriers pushed the ball up the floor and swung it to Machowski well beyond the arc. With the buzzer sounding, he launched a desperation shot from deep.
The ball sailed long.
And the Spartans exhaled.
UNC Greensboro walked off the floor with a 75–72 victory, advancing in the Southern Conference Tournament after surviving one of the most physical and dramatic games of the weekend.
About the Author
