Dionte Neal put up a monster 26 points for UNC Greensboro last night, but honestly, the Spartans letting Lees-McRae hang 84 on them is the real story here. Yeah, they snagged the 91-84 win, moving to 2-2 on the season, but that defensive showing? Woof. You can’t be giving up those kinds of numbers and expect to roll through a tough schedule.
Neal’s Offensive Explosion Can’t Mask Defensive Lapses
Neal was absolutely lights out, no doubt about it. Twenty-six points, eight assists, three steals,he was everywhere, making plays, running the offense. He’s clearly a force. But even with Neal cooking, this felt more like a shootout than a controlled victory. Lees-McRae wasn’t backing down, with DJ Boyce leading their attack with 18 points. Stevie Tatum added 16 points and four assists, and Lincoln Raper chipped in 13 points, six boards, and two blocks. Those are solid numbers for the Bobcats, and it shows the Spartans defense had trouble containing them. For a team with a 2-2 record, you’d want to see them locking opponents down a bit tighter, especially when you’re scoring 91 points yourself.
Greensboro’s Supporting Cast Steps Up, Sort Of
Offensively, it wasn’t just Neal doing the heavy lifting. R.J. Greer got 15 points, though he went 5 of 14 from the field, hitting 4 of 10 from deep. Ante Beljan was more efficient, dropping 14 points on 6 of 9 shooting from the floor, adding two free throws on four attempts. The offensive firepower is clearly there for UNC Greensboro, which is why they got the win despite the defensive struggles. You’ve got guys who can score, no question. But relying solely on outscoring opponents, especially when you’re letting them put up 84, is a recipe for some serious nail-biters, and maybe worse, down the line.
UNC Greensboro has to get it together on defense, plain and simple. They’re visiting Cornell on Saturday, and that’s a perfect chance to show they can tighten things up. A 2-2 start isn’t terrible, but if they want to make any noise this season, they can’t afford to be in track meets every single night. The talent is there, but consistency on both ends of the floor is what separates good teams from great ones.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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