Greensboro, N.C. (11/29/07) - R. J. Smith scored 22 points to lead host Greensboro College past Guilford College, 71-66, Wednesday night before a raucous crowd of 849 in the Pride's Hanes Gymnasium. The Quakers, ranked third in this week's D3hoops.com Top 25 Poll, lost for the first time in five years to Greensboro.

Wednesday's contest marked the first meeting between the teams in Hanes Gym since 1993. The previous 12 games between the city rivals took place in the Greensboro Coliseum.

The tight affair saw two ties and three lead changes. Guilford (1-1) enjoyed an early eight-point advantage, but Greensboro (3-2) rallied to within 34-33 at halftime on Smith's buzzer-beating three-pointer. Smith made two three pointers and Bruce Zamuel added one during a 9-0 Pride run that opened a 50-42 advantage midway through the second half.

Guilford battled back to tie the game at 54-54 on a Clay Henson trifecta with 5:45 remaining in regulation, but Zamuel's jumper at the other end gave the Pride the lead for good at 56-54. Zamuel's three-pointer with 2:33 remaining boosted Greensboro's edge to five points. Adam Nicholson's steal and layup off the ensuing inbounds pass made it a seven-point lead. Zamuel made four free throws in the final 50 seconds to seal the Pride's ninth win in the 36-game series that dates to 1968.

Smith, playing in place of injured starter Michael McDuffie, drained four three pointers and made four steals. Zamuel finished with 17 points, including three trifectas, as the Pride made 10-of-24 shots (43.5%) from behind the arc. Nicholson scored 12 points on a four-for-17 shooting night, but also contributed a game-high six assists and five rebounds.

Guilford's Ben Strong totaled 28 points and 12 rebounds, both game highs. He made 13 of 20 shots from the floor and helped the Quakers enjoy a 41-29 rebounding edge. Eric Belkoski chipped in 12 points and six rebounds in 21 minutes. Henson finished with 11 points, thanks to three three-pointers.

The Quakers open Old Dominion Athletic Conference play Saturday at Lynchburg College at 3:00 p.m.