GREENSBORO, N.C. – No. 3 Greensboro College ended Shenandoah University's run in the 2012 USA South men's basketball Tournament, and in the league itself, with a 94-82 semi-final round victory Friday night.
Greensboro (18-9) will play at No. 1 Christopher Newport on Sunday for the right to represent the USA South in the NCAA Tournament.
Shenandoah ends its first season under coach Rob Pryor with a 5-22 record. Friday's appearance in the league semi-finals was the Hornets 11th and final one in 20 years of Dixie/USA South membership. SU leaves the league this summer to join the Old Dominion Athletic Conference.
The Pride, which led 40-30 at the break, pulled away in the second thanks to an absolutely sizzling 21 of 27 (77.8 percent) shooting in the second.
SU, which shot an even 50 percent (30 for 60) for the game, made 60 percent of his attempts in the second stanza but could not keep up with its hosts.
With the Hornets leading 27-25 after an Avery Green jumper at the 4:01 mark of the first, Greensboro seized control of the contest by ending the half on a 15-3 run.
Shenandoah's lone bucket in the final four minutes was a Ross Heyl 3-pointer 57 seconds before the buzzer.
GC began the second on another run, this one 15-5 over just 3:41, and effectively clinched the victory.
However, the Hornets refused to fold their tents refused to fold their tents and scored 18 of the final 27 points of the contest.
Green led SU with 17 points, Xavier Alston added 15, James Bowens 12 and Heyl 11.
Luqman Tijani had a game-high 22 for the victors.
Shenandoah will announce its 2012-13 schedule in late March.
###
