January 20, 2012

UNCG (3-13, 2-6 SoCon) vs. Furman (9-8, 5-3 SoCon), Jan. 21, 2 p.m., Fleming Gym

LiveStats: UNCGSpartans.com
Video: Spartan All Access (free)

UNCG vs. Furman game notes

Storylines

• UNCG welcomes Furman to Fleming Gymnasium on Saturday as the Spartans wrap up a season-high four-game homestand and try to win consecutive games for the first time this season.

• The Spartans won a thriller Sunday against Georgia Southern, getting a jumper from Natalie Headley with 2.2 seconds left to lift UNCG to a 55-54 win over the Lady Eagles. The Spartans led by as many as 14 in the second half before GSU rallied and took its first lead of the second half with just 12.3 seconds left. Headley had the answer, however, grabbing a big offensive rebound in the lane and putting up her short jumper for the win.

• With the win over the Lady Eagles, the Spartans avoided matching the longest losing streak in their Division I history. UNCG entered that contest having lost nine straight, one shy of the 10-game skid it suffered from Jan. 16 to Feb. 20, 2010.

• Janae' Stevenson has blocked at least one shot in eight straight games, matching the career-best streak she set as a freshman last season. With 25 blocked shots this season, she is 11th on UNCG's single-season list. She had a career-high four against GSU on Sunday.

• Sophomore Breonna Patterson leads UNCG in scoring with 10.1 points per game, while Stevenson has recently taken over the team rebounding lead at 5.2 per contest and is second in scoring at 8.6 points per game. Dayshaun Richbow leads the team with 3.0 assists and 1.7 steals per game.

• UNCG leads the series with Furman, 20-13. The Paladins won this season's first meeting, 53-48 in Greenville, S.C., but the Spartans have won two straight over Furman in Greensboro, both by double figures. Overall, Furman has won five of the last eight in the series.

• The Paladins survived a late charge by the Spartans on Dec. 19 to take this season's first contest between the teams. Furman led 49-39 with 4:40 to go, but UNCG turned in a 7-0 run to make it a one-possession game. The Spartans had a chance at a tying 3-pointer with 12 seconds left, but Sarah Folwell's shot was off the mark and Furman nailed down the win at the free throw line. Stevenson led UNCG with 13 points, while Raegan Thompson paced Furman with 18 points and 12 rebounds. UNCG was playing without its leading scorer, Patterson, who missed the contest with a foot injury.

• At 9-8 overall, Furman has cooled off after a hot start to the season. The Paladins started out 8-3, but are just 1-5 in their last six games. Their lone win in that stretch was a 57-54 triumph at Western Carolina on Jan. 9. More recently, the Paladins dropped games at Samford and Chattanooga. Saturday's contest at UNCG will be the last in Furman's season-long four-game road swing.

• Against the Lady Mocs on Sunday, Brittany Hodges paced the Paladins with 14 points, while Thompson added 11 in Furman's 71-53 loss. The teams were tied at 27 at the half, but Chattanooga held Furman to just 28.1 percent shooting in the second frame to turn the game into a rout. Chattanooga out-rebounded Furman 56-35 on the day.

• Thompson leads Furman in scoring this season at 10.6 points per game, but Kaitlin Murphy is right behind her at 10.0. Murphy leads the team with 4.0 points per game and Lashana Booker leads the team with 6.5 rebounds per contest. Hodges (27), Booker (22) and Sarah Durdaller (10) are all in double figures in blocked shots on the season.

• Furman leads the SoCon in rebounding offense with 43.0 per game, but only Booker is in the top 10 individually, sitting ninth in the league with her 6.5 per contest. Murphy is third in the league and 20^th nationally in free throw percentage, as she is shooting 88.0 percent from the line.

• Murphy was a Preseason All-SoCon selection. Booker was the first SoCon Player of the Week of this season, while Thompson took the honor on Dec. 20.

- UNCG -