RALEIGH, NC – The William Peace men's basketball team had their five-game winning streaked snapped this afternoon, as the Pacers fell to Greensboro College, 71-60.
WPU (10-10, 6-3 USAS) ranks seventh in the country averaging more than 10 three-point field goals per game, but the Pacer's 23.3% (7-of-30) clip from beyond the arc was their lowest of the season. Overall, they went 23-of-64 (35.9%) from the field and 7-of-10 (70%) from the charity stripe.
The Pacers held Greensboro to 43.5% (27-of-62) shooting, but it was the Pride (14-8, 7-4 USAS) who was stroking the three ball, hitting 12-of-28 (42.9%) from deep. Conference player of the year candidate, Simeon Howard, dialed up six of those long-distance shots on his way to a game high 22 points and eight rebounds. Will Griffin had 21 points, six rebounds and pair of assists for the Pride.
Tyquan Nolan was the only Pacer in double-figures. He scored 10 and also brought down a team high seven rebounds. Ryan Emfinger added seven points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals and a blocked shot.
It was a three point (20-17) game with 10:48 left in the first following a bucket from Emfinger, but the Pacers trailed, 39-23, finishing the half 2-of-17 (11.7%) and turning it over an uncharacteristic nine times.
Griffin took it to the hole and extended Greensboro's lead to as many as 21 (62-41) with 8:21 to go. WPU went on an ensuing 7-0 run coming out of a timeout called by head coach Claude Shields, but the Pacers never posed a legitimate threat the rest of the way.
"I thought we got a lot of good shots in the first ten minutes, and they just didn't happen to go in like we've been used to," Shields said. "[Greensboro] started making shots, and it affected the way we played defense, which hasn't happened in a while, but we just have to be more mentally tough than that. When good players make tough shots we have to be able to go down and keep executing."
The WPU men's basketball, second in the USA South, will host the top seeded Cougars of Averett University tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. Video coverage and live stats will be available, as Patrick Johnson hits the air for the Pacers Basketball Network at 12:45 p.m.
Stay up to date with William Peace Athletics via social media: Like us on Facebook, subscribe to our YouTube channel, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
