Box Score
Kristen Boone sent the game into overtime with a 3-pointer at the buzzer |
GREENSBORO, NC In its longest game in just under 10 years, the UNC Greensboro women's basketball team won a double overtime thriller, 90-87, over Davidson in a Southern Conference game tonight at Fleming Gym. The victory gives the Spartans a season sweep over the Wildcats and maintains their firm grip on fourth place in the conference standings.
Freshman guard Kristen Boone drained a 3-pointer at the end of regulation to send both teams into overtime for the first time this season, 68-68. With five seconds showing on the clock, Boone raced the length of the floor, pulled up at the top of the arc and knocked down just her ninth 3-pointer of the season.
In the first overtime, UNCG found itself down three points once again in the late stages, but sophomore guard Jasmine Byrd buried a deep 3-pointer with six seconds left to tie the game for the 15th and final time, 80-80, and send the game into double overtime. In the second extra session, Tia Washington scored three straight points to put Davidson up 87-85 with 1:15 remaining, but Byrd canned her fifth 3-pointer of the game to give the Spartans the lead for good, 88-87, with 59 seconds left. Boone and sophomore forward KaLeah Latham each converted one shot from the foul line for a 90-87 advantage with 24 seconds left. UNCG preserved its lead by blocking three Wildcat attempts from beyond the arc, two by sophomore forward Irene Otamiri and one by Latham, in the final 26 seconds of the game.
Byrd, a native of Dumfries, VA (Hylton HS) tied her career-high with 24 points to lead UNCG (13-11, 10-7 SoCon). She knocked down 7-of-14 shots from the field, which included 5-of-7 from 3-point land. Ashley Current, a junior forward from Orlando, FL (Colonial HS) added a career-high 21 points on an efficient 10-of-12 from the floor.
Boone, who hails from Upper Marlboro, MD (Gwynn Park HS) and is the leading candidate for the SoCon Freshman of the Year award, filled the box score to the tune of 16 points, five assists and five steals. She also went 7-for-8 from the charity stripe. Otamiri, a native of Lund, Sweden, posted a career-best 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting. The Spartans had four double-digit scorers for the first time this season.
Not to be out done by UNCG, the Wildcats (15-10, 12-6 SoCon) posted a couple career-high's as well. Danielle Hemerka and Washington turned the trick by tossing in 22 and 18 points respectively. Emily Callahan tied her season-high with 24 points (9-of-15). Meanwhile, Katie Hamilton, the SoCon's second-leading scorer at 15.5 ppg, scored nine points, all in the first half of play, and was held scoreless the rest of the way until fouling out with 34 seconds left in the second overtime.
With the game tied 33-33 at halftime, neither team would lead by more than five points in the second stanza. UNCG led 44-39 at the 15:43 mark but Davidson raced right back to tie the game 44-44 just under two minutes later. It was a two possession game the rest of the half. The Wildcats led 62-57 at 3:36, but back-to-back jumpers by Otamiri and a layup by Boone put the Spartans back on top 63-62 with 1:34 left in regulation. The two clubs traded leads in the final minute which set up Boone's heroics at the buzzer.
Back in the 1994-95 season, UNCG lost 72-70 to Towson in a triple overtime game on February 19, 1995. Tonight also marked the first overtime game played by the Spartans since a 73-69 setback to Chattanooga on February 9, 2002.
UNCG outrebounded Davidson 36-33, but trailed by a 16-9 margin at halftime. The Spartans also forced the Wildcats into 24 turnovers, which marked the 11th straight game their opponents have had 20 or more. UNCG gave up the ball on 29 occasions.
UNCG continues wraps up its three-game SoCon home stand on Saturday against East Tennessee State. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 pm at Fleming Gym. Davidson will host Wofford on Saturday at 3 pm.
AGATE:
UNC GREENSBORO 90, DAVIDSON 87
DAVIDSON (15-10,12-6 SoCon)
CALLAHAN, Emily 9-15 4-4 24; HEMERKA, Danielle 9-16 1-2 22; WASHINGTON, Tia 7-10 4-6 18; HAMILTON, Katie 4-10 0-0 9; MITCHELL, Jessica 3-11 1-2 8; CRAYTON, Janell 2-5 2-2 6; KELLY, Brynn 0-0 0-0 0; DELK, Katie 0-1 0-0 0; ARAYOMI, Bibiana 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 34-69 12-16 87.
UNC GREENSBORO (13-11,10-7 SoCon)
BYRD, Jasmine 7-14 5-5 24; CURRENT, Ashley 10-12 1-1 21; BOONE, Kristen 4-10 7-8 16; OTAMIRI, Irene 6-9 2-3 14; LATHAM, KaLeah 4-6 1-1 9; EATON, Amanda 2-9 0-0 6; CHAMBERLAIN, Meghan 0-1 0-0 0; BLAIR, Caroline 0-1 0-0 0; BRITT, Stephanie 0-1 0-0 0; JACKSON, Shanika 0-1 0-0 0; DIXON, Jasmine 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 33-65 16-18 90.
Davidson.................... 33 35 12 7 - 87
UNC Greensboro........ 33 35 12 10 - 90
Halftime: Tied 33-33. 3-point goals-Davidson 7-22 (HEMERKA, Danielle 3-6; CALLAHAN, Emily 2-7; HAMILTON, Katie 1-4; MITCHELL, Jessica 1-3; CRAYTON, Janell 0-2), UNC Greensboro 8-16 (BYRD, Jasmine 5-7; EATON, Amanda 2-7; BOONE, Kristen 1-1; JACKSON, Shanika 0-1). Fouled out--Davidson-HAMILTON, Katie, UNC Greensboro-None. Rebounds-Davidson 33 (HEMERKA, Danielle 5; WASHINGTON, Tia 5; CALLAHAN, Emily 5), UNC Greensboro 36 (LATHAM, KaLeah 8; OTAMIRI, Irene 8). Assists-Davidson 21 (HAMILTON, Katie 5), UNC Greensboro 21 (BOONE, Kristen 5). Total fouls-Davidson 20, UNC Greensboro 17. A-169.
- UNCG -
