MACON, Ga. (AP) Francis Alonso made four 3-pointers and scored 25 points and UNC Greensboro defeated Mercer 72-66 on Wednesday night.

James Dickey added 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Spartans (21-8, 12-4), who won their fifth straight and trail East Tennessee State (13-3) and Furman (13-4) with games left against VMI and ETSU. UNCG made 10 of 21 from the arc and outrebounded the Bears 37-29.

Desmond Ringer scored 18 points, Jordan Strawberry 16 and Ria'n Holland 12 for Mercer (13-16, 7-9).

Mercer led by five early in the second half. The game was tied at 56 with six minutes to go when Diante Baldwin hit a 3-pointer to start a 13-6 run to lead 69-62 with 1:48 left after a dunk by Dickey. Ringer made a pair of free throws but Dickey completed a 3-point play with 28 seconds remaining and Mercer managed only two free throws after that.

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