Greensboro, N.C. – Junior Kenyon Giles matched a career-high with 25 points and UNC Greensboro shot 52.2% from three-point range to down Furman, 84-67, in Southern Conference men's basketball action Saturday afternoon at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro, N.C.
 
The loss snapped Furman's six-game winning streak and dropped the Paladins to 13-2 overall and 1-1 in the conference. The Spartans, who claimed their third consecutive win over the Paladins, improved to 9-6 overall and 2-0 in league play.
 
Trailing by 11 points at the half, Furman trimmed the margin to eight points twice in the opening minutes of the second half but failed on four possessions to further cut into the deficit with three missed triples and a turnover. The Spartans responded with a 14-2 run to stretch their 47-39 lead into a 61-42 advantage with a 9-0 spurt as Furman went more than four minutes without a field goal. The Paladins got no closer than 12 points the rest of the way.
 
Giles finished 10-of-13 from the field, including 5-of-6 from three-point range, while adding five rebounds and four assists as the Spartans shot 57.4% from the floor and connected on 12-of-23 three-point attempts. Ronald Polite III contributed 18 points and Jaryam Saizonou finished with 11 for the Spartans.
 
UNCG totaled 16 points off 13 Furman turnovers and outscored the Paladins 26-22 in the paint.
 
Smith scored 24 points on 8-of-16 shooting from the floor and a 4-for-4 effort at the line for Furman. Cooper Bowser added nine points and Ben VanderWal grabbed a game-high nine rebounds. Furman shot 39.3% and connected on just 9-of-35 three-point tries.
 
After Furman took an early 8-4 lead on eight points from Smith, the Spartans reeled off 10 straight points as part of a 20-6 run and outscored the Paladins 39-24 over the final 18 minutes of the period to carry a 43-32 lead into the halftime break. Giles went 5-for-5 from the field to score 12 first half points and added four boards and three assists in the first half.
 
Furman travels to The Citadel (5-8, 0-2 SoCon) on Wednesday for a 7 p.m. tip-off at McAlister Field House before hosting Wofford in the SoCon home opener at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Saturday, January 11, at noon. Tickets are on sale now for the Furman-Wofford matchup at FurmanPaladins.com.