PEMBROKE — In a game between two ranked opponents, a close game many times has a razor-thin margin.
After Wednesday’s Peach Belt Conference matchup with sixth-ranked USC Aiken, The University of North Carolina at Pembroke men’s basketball coach Ben Miller knew what was the difference in the outcome.
“They had one more play than we did so give them credit,” Miller said after his Braves lost 90-88 at home.
No. 21 UNCP (13-3, 8-2 PBC) and No. 6 USC Aiken (16-1, 10-1 PBC) played back and forth over the final three minutes of the game, but it was execution late that proved to be the difference.
USC Aiken guard Xzavier Baremore hit a contested layup with two minutes to go to push the lead out to 86-83 as the Pacers closed the game hitting six of their final eight shots, also during that closing stretch, UNCP hit five of its last six shots.
“In that moment, I’m just thinking that we’ve got to get a stop,” UNCP guard Tyrell Kirk said. “We knew if it kept going back and forth, it would come down to one possession like it did.”
Micah Kinsey tipped in a miss on the following possession to cut the lead to 86-85, before USC Aiken went back up three on a Robert Hill basket with 1:15 left. The Braves tied the game up at 88-all with 38 seconds left on a Spencer Levi free throw.
On the Pacers’ final possession, a ball batted around ended up in the hands of Doniel Dean before he hit a corner jumper to push the score to 90-88.
UNCP’s chance to claim the win in the final seconds came up short as Kinsey caught a pass from Kirk, pump faked and dribbled to his left for a wide open 3-pointer that hit front rim.
“Tyrell made a good read. Up until this year, Micah hasn’t shot the ball well from three, but he is 45 percent from three in conference games,” Miller said. “It was a good shot. He’ll pick his head up and we’ll take that situation again.”
UNCP turned the ball over 20 times in the game that USC Aiken turned into 23 points in the game. At the rim, the Braves won the rebounding battle 54-29.
“We rebounded well and had too many turnovers that gave them a lot of easy shots in transition, which is uncharacteristic of our team,” Miller said. “They are scrappy going after the ball and I give them credit.”
To go along with the miscues with the ball, UNCP played without starting point guard David Strother for much of the second half as he picked up his third and fourth foul all within the first minute of the second half.
“He’s been good for us and I was surprised by the fourth one because he’s such a good decision maker,” Miller said. “We are fortunate to have depth as Tyrell and Micah stepped up.”
Kinsey turned the ball over seven times as he came in to provide depth in the backcourt with Strother out.
Kirk found his shooting stroke from deep in the second half as he scored 11 of his 17 points in the second half to help pick up the morale of the team with Strother not in.
“We had to step up as a team,” Kirk said. “I was just telling the team to keep their heads up.”
After going down by six with less than six minutes to go in the first half, the Braves chipped away at the USC Aiken to go down 43-41 at the half. Murray-Boyles scored 13 of his team-high 19 points in the first half.
Miller also mentioned how two technical fouls, whistled on him and Levi in the second half. USC Aiken hit all four technical free throws on the calls that came within 19 seconds of each other.
“I apologize to these guys. I did not keep my composure very well there,” Miller said. “The technical was not helpful. I don’t think Spencer deserved.”
Dean finished with 29 points and Baremore scored 22 points.
The loss snapped UNCP’s 17-game home win streak that dated back to December of 2017.
The Braves travel to Clayton State on Saturday.
