GREENSBORO, N.C. – Tre Jackson scored a team-best 17 points and Tyzhaun Claude posted his 10^th  double-double of the season, but UNCG used a pair of big second half runs to defeat Western Carolina 71-52 in Southern Conference action on Wednesday night at the Greensboro Coliseum.

UNCG improves to 20-10 overall and 14-3 in league play while WCU falls to 16-14 and 9-8.

Jackson's 17 points represent the 22^nd time this season he finished in double figures and the 10^th time that he's been WCU's leading scorer. Claude logged his 10^th double-double of the year with 16 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Vonterius Woolbright tallied nine points and dished out a game-high eight assists.

Keyshaun Langley led UNCG with 28 points and was joined in double figures by Keondre Kennedy with 14 points.

The Catamounts jumped out to a 9-4 lead thanks to a Jackson 3-pointer at the 17:05 mark. WCU made its first six shots from the field as a Jackson 3-pointer put the visitors ahead 15-7 with 15 minutes remaining. After a Woolbright 3-pointer gave the Catamounts an 18-9 lead, with 13:51 to play, UNCG responded with a 13-2 run capped by a Keyshaun Langley 3-pointer that gave the Spartans their first lead of the game, 22-20 at the 9:22 mark. A Russell Jones Jr 3-pointer with 8:14 remaining put WCU back on top 26-24 and the Catamounts maintained a lead that fluctuated between one and four points for nearly the next four minutes. UNCG used a 7-0 run to grab a 34-30 lead with just under two minutes remaining and led 39-35 at halftime.

A pair of Claude layups knotted the score at 39 with 19:15 remaining. Over the next six minutes, UNCG used a 13-0 run capped by a Bas Leyte layup with 13:15 to play for a 52-39 advantage. The Catamounts cut the deficit to four, 53-49, thanks to a Jones Jr. jumper with just over eight minutes to play. UNCG responded with a 9-0 run for a 62-49 advantage with just over six minutes left and the Catamounts got no closer than 11 points the rest of the way.

UNCG held a 38-32 edge in rebounds. The Spartans finished 26-for-54 (48 percent) from the field, 8-for-20 (40 percent) on 3-point attempts, and 11-for-16 at the free throw line. WCU was 20-for-56 (36 percent) from the field, 8-for-27 (30 percent) behind the arc, and 4-for-12 (33 percent) at the free throw line.

The Catamounts conclude the 2022-23 regular season on Saturday, hosting VMI at 4 p.m. in the first half of a Pack the RAC / Senior Night doubleheader with the WCU women's team. Cam Bacote, Marlow Gilmore, and Tyler Harris will be honored in a pregame ceremony.

The SoCon then descends upon Asheville for the 2023 Ingles Southern Conference Basketball Championship March 3-6. Tickets for both the men's and women's tournaments are on sale now online at CatamountSports.com/BuyTickets.

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