Manjon scores 24 as Vanderbilt basketball holds off late surge, beats UNC Greensboro

Vanderbilt basketball secured a 74-70 victory over UNC Greensboro on Tuesday at Memorial Gymasium, going 17-for-18 from the free-throw line.

Vanderbilt (2-1) took a 12-point lead at halftime, propelled by an impressive offensive display in the first half, including three 3-pointers from Colin Smith.

UNC Greensboro (1-1) mounted a comeback in the second half while Vanderbilt’s offense struggled. Despite the Spartans reducing the lead to just two points, the Commodores held on to clinch the win, never trailing after the opening minutes. Keyshaun Langley led all players with 36 points.

Vanderbilt played without Tyrin Lawrence, Ven-Allen Lubin, and Lee Dort. Freshmen Isaiah West and Carter Lang started in their place, with JQ Roberts and Jason Rivera-Torres also contributing significantly, especially in the second half.

Smith’s Breakthrough

Smith delivered a standout performance for Vanderbilt, recording his first career double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds after lackluster performances in the first two games. Additionally, Ezra Manjon scored 24 points, and Evan Taylor finished with 12 points.

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Rebounding Superiority

Vanderbilt dominated the boards against UNC Greensboro, displaying high-major prowess against a smaller squad. Despite this success, the Spartans attempted more shots due to turnovers. Vanderbilt’s defense, which struggled with forcing turnovers last season, only had five giveaways, leading to a disparity despite 12 turnovers of its own.

Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at [email protected] or on Twitter @aria_gerson.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vanderbilt basketball holds off UNC Greensboro thanks to Manjon’s 24