Ronrico White hit a controversial 3-pointer at the buzzer, and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men's basketball team claimed a 61-58 win over UNC Greensboro in the season finale at the Greensboro Coliseum.
With the win, the Mocs (22-9, 15-3) won their sixth straight game and solidified their spot as the No. 2 team in the Southern Conference. They won't play until 6 on Saturday in Asheville, N.C., against the winner of The Citadel and Furman.
The Mocs' seventh road win in conference play wasn't easy. They trailed for most of the game, taking the lead on an 11-2 run midway through the second half to build a 53-48 lead. The Spartans responded with a 10-5 run to tie the game at 58 on a free throw by Diante Baldwin with 35.9 seconds to go.
Coach Will Wade called timeout with 11 seconds to play and set up a final shot. White got the ball, dribbled around until the final couple of seconds, drove left, stepped back and hit the buzzer-beater over 6-foot-6 Tevon Saddler.
UNCG coach Wes Miller called for the officials to check the shot, implying White didn't get the ball off before the shot clock expired. After about 10 minutes of reviewing the monitor and discussing between themselves, the officials ruled the shot good.
White finished with a team-high 15 points. Casey Jones added 12 points, nine rebounds and three blocks, while Duke Ethridge had 10 points and eight rebounds. Justin Tuoyo had seven rebounds and five blocks, giving him 102 on the season - the second-best season in Southern Conference history.
R.J. White led UNCG (10-21, 6-12) with 14 points and four blocks, but the Mocs held the Spartans to 37 percent shooting for the game.
For full story, read Sunday's Times Free Press.