LEXINGTON, Va. (Interstat) — Justin Neely scored 22 points and Donald Whitehead added 18 as UNC Greensboro built a sizable first-half lead and held off a persistent Virginia Military Institute rally for an 85-78 victory in a Southern Conference men’s basketball game Wednesday night at Cameron Hall.

The Spartans, who led by as many as 13 points in the opening period, saw their advantage whittled down to just four in the final minutes before securing the win at the free-throw line. The victory improved UNC Greensboro’s record to 8-12 overall, while the Keydets fell to 6-14.

Neely, a 6-foot-6 sophomore from Miami Beach, Florida, was a consistent force inside, adding nine defensive rebounds to his game-high point total in 36 minutes of action. His early aggression set the tone, as he scored six of UNC Greensboro’s first eight points, helping the Spartans jump to a lead they would not relinquish.

Whitehead, a 5-10 guard from Hermitage, Pennsylvania, provided critical scoring bursts, including a key 3-pointer with just under three minutes remaining in the game that pushed the Spartan lead back to seven points after VMI had closed within four. He finished with three assists.

The most important stretch of the game came late in the first half, when UNC Greensboro transformed a tight contest into a comfortable halftime cushion. Leading 24-21 with just over eight minutes left before the break, the Spartans ignited a 14-4 run. The surge was fueled by defensive stops and efficient offense, including 3-pointers from KJ Younger and Lilian Marville, and a driving layup from Neely. When Clinton Efinda of Naas, Ireland, nailed a 3-pointer in the final minute, it capped the run and sent UNC Greensboro into halftime with a 38-33 lead.

Virginia Military Institute refused to fade in the second half, repeatedly chipping away at the deficit behind the play of TJ Johnson and Tan Yildizoglu, who each finished with 18 points. A 3-pointer from Johnson with 5:21 to play brought the Keydets within 65-62, sending a charge through the home crowd of 1,275.

Every time VMI threatened, however, UNC Greensboro had an answer. Following Johnson’s 3-pointer, Neely drew a foul and made two free throws. After a Mario Tatum layup for VMI, Whitehead connected on his crucial long-range shot from the wing to make it 70-64 with 2:56 on the clock.

The Keydets made one final push, closing to 76-72 on a Yildizoglu jumper with 25 seconds left. But the Spartans, who entered the game having lost four of their last five, displayed poise under pressure. Marville and Neely combined to make five of six free throws in the closing seconds to seal the conference road win.

Younger, a junior from Matthews, North Carolina, contributed 15 points for the Spartans. Valentino Pinedo of Murcia, Spain, anchored the defense with three blocked shots. For VMI, Linus Holmstrom of Stockholm, Sweden, scored 13 points, and Cal Liston of Marietta, Georgia, added nine, all on first-half 3-pointers.

Interstat’s ELO system had projected UNC Greensboro with a 70 percent probability to win. The Spartans next host Furman on Saturday, while Virginia Military Institute travels to face Western Carolina.