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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The UNCG Spartans shot a sizzling 76.2 percent from 3-point range Saturday, a total of 16 in the game, as the Samford Bulldogs suffered a 98-82 setback at home in a Southern Conference contest held at the Pete Hanna Center. The Spartans knocked down 16-of-21 attempts from beyond the arc in the game.
 
With the loss, Samford (7-15, 3-6 SoCon) moved to 6-4 at home this season. The Bulldogs, who have been ravaged by injuries this year, have seen players miss a combined total of 40 games throughout the course of the 2017-18 campaign.
 
Starters Christen Cunningham, Alex Thompson and Wyatt Walker did not dress Saturday and Alex Peters wasn't available for the second half of action.
 
Despite being shorthanded and limited to only eight available players, Samford outscored
UNCG (16-5, 7-1 SoCon), 52-45, in the final 20 minutes of the game.
 
The Bulldogs' Josh Sharkey tallied a career-high 25 points Saturday, including 18 in the second half. Samford's speedy point guard from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, finished 4-of-5 from the field and turned in career-high 16-of-18 performance from the free-throw line.
 
As a team, the Bulldogs shot a solid 25-of-29 from the charity stripe for an 86.2-percent tally.
 
Shooting-wise, UNCG was on fire.
 
The Spartans registered a 76.2-percent mark from 3-point range, a 64.2-percent tally on field goals and finished 14-of-16 from the free-throw line. UNCG knocked down 16 3-pointers Saturday, including eight from junior guard Francis Alonso.
 
Alonso, the Spartans' junior sharpshooter from Malaga, Spain, scored a game-high 24 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the field, including his jaw-dropping 8-of-9 performance from long range.
 
UNCG finished with five players scoring in double-figures. Alonso paced the squad with 24 points, while Marvin Smith added 18, Jordy Kuiper chipped in with 16 and James Dickey and Isaiah Miller both posted 10. Demetrius Troy didn't score in the game, but led all players with 11 assists.
 
Samford's career performance from Sharkey led the way with 25 points, while Demetrius Denzel-Dyson notched 19 and Justin Coleman tallied 16. Sophomore guard Triston Chambers also added eight points for the Bulldogs.
 
UNCG out-rebounded Samford, 37-19, but the Bulldogs outscored the Spartans, 24-14, in points off turnovers.
 
The Samford University basketball team will next be in action Monday at 7 p.m. (CT) as the Bulldogs remain at home to play host to the VMI Keydets in a SoCon matchup to be held in the Pete Hanna Center.
 
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Box Score
Updated Stats