Greensboro, N.C. – Marcus Kell sank a late jumper with 25 seconds left to push Western Carolina in front by a pair, 78-76, as the Catamounts rallied to erase a 12-point second-half deficit on Wednesday night. However, homestanding UNC Greensboro used the charity stripe late to not only tie but ultimately pull in front in the final seconds as the Spartans escaped with an 81-78 Southern Conference victory at the on-campus Bodford Arena. 

Trailing by 12 points in the early stages of the second half, the Catamounts battled back to even the score on the heels of a 17-5 run, which included 10 unanswered points capped by a 3-pointer by Cord Stansberry that tied the game at 54 with 12:26 to play. Neither squad gained more than a four-point lead over the final 12 minutes as the affair remained tight before Kell's late-game jumper pushed the guests in front.

But a late foul on an offensive rebound inside the closing seconds allowed Justin Neely to knot the game with a pair of made charity tosses. On the ensuing contested inbounds play, the Catamounts hurled the ball to mid-court where it was knocked away from Kell amidst contact. Neely gathered the ball and was awarded three free throws on a subsequent foul and apparent 3-point shot attempt from the opposite side of halfcourt.

Neely calmly sank all three free throws, and Tahlan Pettway's last-second heave fell short as the Spartans held off the Catamounts for the three-point victory. 

Wednesday's game saw only 90 seconds in the second half when either team led by double digits, as UNCG opened the second half fast. The contest featured 15 lead changes and was tied nine times, with seven of those coming in the second half.

Kell led the Catamounts with a game and season-high tying 27 points, his fourth 20-point performance of the year. The Rock Hill, S.C., product connected on 10 field goals, including three from beyond the arc, while also pulling down a team-best seven rebounds. Pettway added a career-best 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting and buried both of his 3-pointers. Sophomore CJ Hyland and sophomore transfer Justin Johnson both just missed double figures with nine points apiece off the bench.

Freshman Samuel Dada tallied six boards and a team-best three blocks. Graduate transfer Tidjiane Dioumassi added a team-high four assists and a pair of steals.

Justin Neely led three UNCG (9-15, 5-6 SoCon) players in double figures with a team-best 25 points, with most of his damage coming at the free throw line. He finished the game 19-of-21 at the charity stripe, including the game's final five to secure the win. He pulled down 11 rebounds for the double-double, adding four assists. Lilian Marville finished with 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting, including all four of his 3-point attempts. Noah Norgaard scored 12 points. Donald Whitehead Jr. had nine points and four assists. 

Kell scored seven of WCU's first 10 points as the Catamounts wasted no time, firing an opening salvo with a 10-2 spurt over the opening three minutes to claim the early advantage. The Spartans responded with a 14-4 run, including nine in a row over the next five minutes, to slip in front by two, 16-14. 

After both sides went back-and-forth over the next couple of possessions, the Catamounts were able to use an 11-6 run to push in front by four, 30-26, before UNCG countered with a 16-6 push over the final five plus minutes to flip the scoreboard in their favor at 42-36 at the break. UNCG scored 12 of the final 14 points in the first half. 

The Spartans exploded out of the halftime locker room with seven of the first eight points to push the lead to a game-high 12, 49-37, just three and a half minutes in the second half. Western Carolina battled back following a quick timeout, ripping off 10 straight points as part of a 17-5 run to even the contest at 54 with 12:26 to play on the Stansberry triple.

The remainder of the action was played within a two-possession margin as neither team gained more than a four-point edge. The Catamounts put together an 8-4 burst to push in front by four, 65-61, with 7:13 to play after a three-point play from Hyland. A back-and-forth game ensued over the next four minutes before a three from the hosts pushed them back in front by two, 74-72, with 3:05 to play.

The trio of Kell, Johnson, and graduate transfer Julien Soumaoro spun together six of the next eight points, capped by Kell's late-game jumper with 25 seconds left to give WCU the late advantage. Following a timeout, the Spartans took advantage of the second-chance board and drew a foul to even the game at 78. 

Following the scrum on the ensuing inbounds play at midcourt, the Spartans scored the game's final five points from the free throw line in the 81-78 victory. 

Western Carolina shot 45 percent (27-of-60) from the floor, which included a 14-of-28 (50%) shooting effort in the second half. WCU buried 10 3-pointers, its seventh double-figure shooting performance from distance. The Purple & Gold finished 14-of-21 (66.7%) at the free-throw line. 

UNCG shot 43.6% (24-of-55), including 50% (14-of-28) in the opening half, as the hosts climbed ahead at the break by six. The Spartans made nine threes at a 45% rate and were 24-of-27 (88.9%) at the charity stripe. 

The Spartans managed a two-rebound edge on the glass, 35-33, as both squads had 13 offensive boards. UNCG won the paint scoring by six, 24-18, while WCU had a decisive 12-2 fast-break advantage and a 6-1 lead in blocked shots. The Catamounts committed 10 turnovers, compared to 12 by the Spartans, and both teams totaled only seven points off their miscues. Led by 14 from Pettway, WCU had a 34-18 lead in bench scoring. 

Western Carolina (8-14, 4-7 SoCon) closes its two-game road swing in Spartanburg, S.C., on Saturday, Feb. 7, with a showdown against Wofford at the Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium. The action with the Terriers is slated for a 4 p.m. start and will be shown on ESPN+ (paid subscription required). Streaming audio from the Catamount Sports Network with live stats available online on CatamountSports.com.

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