Spartans snap 15-game losing streak to Chattanooga with 71-68 victory

CHATTANOOGA, TN – UNC Greensboro pulled out a nailbiter and defeated league-leading Chattanooga, 71-68, in McKenzie Arena on Tuesday night.

The Spartans (8-5, 1-2) snapped a 15-game losing streak to Chattanooga, dating back to the 1999-00 season, and picked up their first conference win of the season.

KaLeah Latham, an Athens, TN native, scored a team-high 17 points on 6-of-14 shooting, while Kristen Boone and Jasmine Byrd scored 15 apiece. Irene Otamiri pulled down 12 rebounds.

“I am so proud of the way this team played team basketball tonight,” head coach Lynne Agee said. “We haven’t beat Chattanooga in awhile and it was really great to see us battle with them tonight and play great team basketball. We were looking for our first conference win and this was a great place for us to pick up our first win.”

Chattanooga was led by Alex Anderson, who scored a game-high 28 points and pulled down 14 rebounds.

Chattanooga opened the second half with a quick bucket to cut the lead to 36-30, but UNCG responded with several three-pointers by Jasmine Byrd to give the Spartans a 43-36 lead at the 17:58 mark. Chattanooga managed to cut the lead 49-43 with just over 11 minutes left in the game behind baskets and free throws by Anderson.

The teams traded buckets but it was the Lady Mocs who were able to capitalize at the charity stripe to cut the UNCG lead to 53-48 with just under eight minutes remaining in the game. Chattanooga’s Tagan Hatchett hit a huge three to cut UNCG’s lead to three at the 6:48 mark. The teams again traded baskets but Chattanooga was able to take a late lead at the 4:07 mark on another three-pointer, but a bucket in the paint by Brittany Frazier gave the Spartans a 58-57 lead with just under three minutes left in the game and the Spartans defense held to give them their first conference win.

UNCG out-rebounded Chattanooga 49-31 and shot 39.4 percent from the floor on 26-of-66 shooting. 

The Spartans started the game slow, letting the Mocs take an early 5-0 run through the games first four minutes. Kristen Boone got UNCG on the board at the 15:36 mark with a long jumper to cut the Chattanooga lead to 5-2 in the early goings. Irene Otamiri tied the game up with a long three-pointer but Chattanooga went on a 8-2 run to take a 14-8 lead with just over 11 minutes remaining.

UNCG was able to cut the Chattanooga lead to two behind a long two-pointer by Jasmine Byrd. The Spartans went on a 12-7 run over the last four minutes to take a 30-21 lead with just over three minutes to play in the half. The Spartans ended the half on a 14-8 run to take a 36-28 lead into the lockeroom.

The Spartans return to Fleming Gymnasium Jan. 6 when they host Furman. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 pm.

AGATE
UNC GREENSBORO 71, CHATTANOOGA 68

UNC GREENSBORO (8-5, 1-2)
Latham, KaLeah 6-14 4-6 17; Byrd, Jasmine 6-15 1-1 15; Boone, Kristen 3-10 8-10 15; Frazier, Brittany 5-8 0-0 10; Otamiri, Irene 2-5 0-0 5; Brooks, Kemena 2-8 0-0 4; Chamberlain, Meghan 1-2 1-2 3; Dixon, Jasmine 1-4 0-0 2; Ling, Ashley 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-66 14-19 71.

CHATTANOOGA (9-5, 2-1)
ANDERSON, Alex 11-19 6-9 28; SPANN, Kristen 3-4 3-4 11; HAND, Brooke 2-9 2-2 8; HALL, Laura 3-13 0-0 6; HATCHETT, Tagan 2-5 0-0 6; HUFF, Ashley 1-2 2-4 4; OGAN, Erin 1-2 2-3 4; MOHR, Amy 0-2 1-2 1; WADE-FRAY, Jenaya 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 23-57 16-24 68.

Halftime: UNCG 36-28. 3-point goals--UNC Greensboro 5-12 (Byrd, Jasmine 2-4; Latham, Kaleah 1-1;Boone, Kristen 1-2; Otamiri, Irene 1-2; Dixon, Jasmine 0-1; Brooks, Kemena 0-2), Chattanooga 6-23 (HATCHETT, Tagan 2-5; HAND, Brooke 2-9; SPANN, Kristen 2-2; OGAN, Erin 0-1; MOHR, Amy 0-1; WADE-FRAY, Jenaya 0-1; HALL,Laura 0-4). Fouled out--UNC Greensboro-None, Chattanooga-None. Rebounds--UNCGreensboro 49 (Otamiri, Irene 12), Chattanooga 31 (ANDERSON, Alex 14). Assists--UNC Greensboro 13 (Otamiri, Irene 4), Chattanooga 16 (HALL, Laura 5). Total fouls--UNC Greensboro 23, Chattanooga 20. Technical fouls--UNC Greensboro-None, Chattanooga-None. A-1285

- UNCG -