CULLOWHEE, N.C. (AP) -- Freshman Kyle Hines scored 20 points and got 12 rebounds to lead UNC-Greensboro to a 79-76 victory over Western Carolina in a Southern Conference game Saturday.
The Spartans (16-11, 9-7) will be the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament, which begins Wednesday in Chattanooga, Tenn.
UNCG also got 19 points from Ricky Hickman, including six points in one possession that turned the game around. Ronnie Burrell had 15 points and Josh Gross added 12.
The Catamounts (8-21, 3-13) were led by Negus McKenna's game-high 21 points. David Berghoefer added 16 points and 14 rebounds and Rans Brempong and Trey Hopkins each added 13 points. Berghoefer also grabbed 14 rebounds.
The Spartans led 39-38 at the half.
Western Carolina led 69-59 in the second half, but UNCG rallied to take a lead with less than two minutes to play, thanks to Hickman's six-point play.
Hickman scored and was fouled intentionally with 2:30 to play. He hit one of his two free throws, then hit a 3-pointer from the right side with 2:04 remaining to tie the game at 74.
Burrell followed with a jumper in the lane with 1:14 left to give UNCG the lead it would not surrender. Hines put the game away with a pair of free throws with 17 seconds to play.
