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GREENSBORO — Falling behind by double-digit margins is never advisable for anybody. And when you're playing Princeton and you're down a baker's dozen, you're probably fried.

So it was Sunday for the UNCG Spartans, whose only second-half charge was insufficient in a 65-50 loss to the Tigers. UNCG (2-6) fell to 0-4 at the Greensboro Coliseum when it went 2-for-14 from the 3-point line and was unable to generate a second-chance basket until 10 minutes remained.

"We need to find some passion, learn to fight through things and sustain good efforts throughout the game and not just have small spurts," UNCG forward Ben Stywall said. "As coach always tells us, you make a run, but if you're down 15, that run will only cut it to nine. You've got to be in a position where a run will put you ahead, not just get you close."

This isn't the same giant-killing Princeton of years past, but the Tigers (4-4) still employ a patient, efficient offensive flow that makes defenders worry if somebody's breaking free somewhere. Princeton routinely limits its opponents' chances by taking 25 to 30 seconds off the shot clock on most possessions. Even with an abnormally high turnover rate by their standards, the Tigers held their first seven foes to 49 shots a game — six fewer than the national average. The Spartans got 54 and needed a great deal more.

The Tigers gave the ball away only nine times against the Spartans, who were going to need considerable transition chances on a day when so little was working in half-court sets.

"We had hoped that having played so well at Samford with a very similar style last week, we would be more ready to defend them," UNCG coach Mike Dement said, referring to the 74-40 flogging they administered in their Southern Conference opener. "They got a lot of easy things."

They did the damage with a 15-4 run that ended the first half. The Spartans, wary of the Tigers' historical success in beating opponents back-door, played a series of zones early on. While that prevented layups, it couldn't keep cutters from getting through, catching passes in dangerous positions and drawing help that liberated others back on the perimeter. Princeton's efficient passing and general patience meant free space for guard Dan Mavraides, who ripped off 11 points in less than five minutes to boost the Tigers to a 35-22 — and ultimately unbeatable — halftime lead.

"It was our defense presence," Stywall said, "or a lack thereof. We were letting them get anything they wanted. I wouldn't say it was necessarily something they were doing that we couldn't stop."

Dement switched to a man-to-man in the interest of increasing pace after the break, and UNCG made one brief run to close the gap to 48-41 with 6:19 left. Mikko Koivisto had two decent looks from the 3-point line, but when he missed both, the comeback was on hold.

"I thought they fought very hard in the second half," Tigers coach Sydney Johnson said. "We were on our heels. We were stuck on 48 for a while and we were fortunate that some of their shots came off the rim."

The Tigers effectively closed out the middle against the Spartans, whose best chances came from penetration by undersized but fearless guard Brandon Evans. The transfer from East Carolina finished with 14 points and seven rebounds.

"He's a problem, and in a good way," Johnson said.

The Spartans' road isn't going to be appreciably easier. UNCG plays next week at Akron (5-3) and Richmond, which has beaten Mississippi State and Missouri in a 7-2 start. Wake Forest and N.C. State come to the coliseum to finish out the calendar year before the Spartans hit the meat of SoCon play.

"I know they're young at key positions," Johnson said. "But once those guys catch up to Evans and Stywall, the results will be ones they like."

PRINCETON (4-4) — Saunders 3-5 0-0 7, Buczak 1-2 2-2 4, Davis 4-12 0-0 8, Schroeder 2-5 0-0 5, Mavraides 6-13 0-0 13, Barrett 1-1 0-0 3, Lake 0-1 0-0 0, Comfort 0-0 0-0 0, Maddox 3-4 0-0 6, Finley 0-1 0-0 0, Hummer 4-5 9-11 17, Connolly 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 25-50 11-13 65.

UNCG (2-6) — Stywall 6-9 2-3 14, Brown 1-3 1-2 3, VanDussen 1-5 0-0 2, Randall 4-11 0-0 8, Evans 6-12 0-1 14, Sellers 0-0 0-0 0, Koivisto 0-5 3-3 3, Smith 1-1 0-0 2, Toney 0-3 0-1 0, Bone 0-0 0-0 0, Cole 2-4 0-0 4, Jackson 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 21-54 6-10 50.

Halftime—Princeton 35-22.
3-point goals—Princeton 4-19 (Saunders 1-1, Barrett 1-1, Schroeder 1-4, Mavraides 1-6, Buczak 0-1, Maddox 0-1, Davis 0-5), UNCG 2-14 (Evans 2-4, Toney 0-1, VanDussen 0-2, Randall 0-3, Koivisto 0-4).
Fouled out—None.
Rebounds—Princeton 29 (Schroeder 7), UNCG 33 (Evans, Stywall 7).
Assists—Princeton 19 (Buczak 6), UNCG 7 (Evans 2).
Total fouls—Princeton 16, UNCG 15.
A—2,079.