For video of UNCG coach Wendy Palmer's postgame quotes, click here.
ELON, N.C. – Elon used a 10-0 run midway through the second half to break open what had been a close game and held UNCG at bay the rest of the way to take a 57-43 Southern Conference win at Alumni Gym on Monday.
Breonna Patterson scored a game-high 14 points for the Spartans (3-15, 2-8 SoCon), while freshman Jarae Savage pulled down a career-high 12 rebounds for the second straight game and narrowly missed her first career double-double with eight points.
"Jarae's really coming together as a player," UNCG coach Wendy Palmer said. "She's working really hard. She's just relentless. She wants to win, and she plays tough and smart. She's getting better every day."
Kelsey Evans and Aiesha Harper had 12 points each for the Phoenix (10-9, 6-4 SoCon), who also got 11 points from Kelsey Harris.
A Janae' Stevenson free throw drew UNCG within five points at 38-33 with 13:21 to play, but Elon answered with its 10-0 run over a span of 4 minutes, 25 seconds that included back-to-back 3-pointers from Ali Ford and Harper to open up some breathing room.
A Dayshaun Richbow finally stopped the run, but UNCG had gone six and half minutes without scoring by that point, giving Elon a comfortable lead.
Another Savage layup and a Patterson free throw pulled the Spartans back within 10 points at 48-38 with 4:15 to go, but Harper answered with a 3-pointer from the top of the key as the shot clock expired to send momentum back in the Phoenix's favor. Elon would score four more unanswered points to make it a game-high 17-point lead with 2:25 left.
UNCG kept it close in the opening frame despite falling behind 10-2. A 7-0 run made it a one-point contest at 10-9, and Elon would not lead by more than seven the rest of the half. The Phoenix led 29-22 at the break.
The Spartans opened the second frame on a 9-2 run to get back within a point. Patterson got things going with a jumper on UNCG's first possession, and capped the spurt with a conventional three-point play to make it 31-30. Elon's offense would kick into gear moments later for its decisive run.
The Spartans were playing without versatile guard Natalie Headley, their third-leading scorer and one of just two UNCG players entering the contest to have started every game.
"We definitely missed her tonight," Palmer said. "She's played 1-4 for me, and she's played really well, doing anything I ask."
UNCG heads to Chattanooga, Tenn., for a date at league-leading Chattanooga on Saturday at 5 p.m.
AGATE
ELON 57, UNCG 43
UNCG (3-15 (2-8 SoCon))
Breonna Patterson 5-17 2-3 14; Jarae Savage 3-10 2-4 8; Jazz Weaver 3-10 0-0 6; Dayshaun Richbow 2-8 1-2 5; Janae' Stevenson 1-9 2-4 4; Nneka Awuruonye 1-3 0-0 2; April Carson 1-3 0-0 2; Sidnei Harmon 1-5 0-1 2; Sarah Folwell 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 17-66 7-14 43.
ELON (10-9 (6-4 SoCon))
Kelsey Evans 4-8 3-4 12; Aiesha Harper 5-11 0-0 12; Kelsey Harris 5-6 1-2 11; Ali Ford 3-11 0-0 9; Lisa Archie 3-4 3-7 9; Shannen Cochraham 1-5 0-0 2; Sam Coffer 1-4 0-0 2; Lei Lei Hairston 0-0 0-0 0; Kallie Hovatter 0-2 0-0 0; Jermile' Batten 0-0 0-0 0; Zora Stephenson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-51 7-13 57.
UNCG.......................... 22 21 - 43
Elon.......................... 29 28 - 57
3-point goals--UNCG 2-12 (Breonna Patterson 2-6; Jarae Savage 0-1; Jazz Weaver 0-2; April Carson 0-2; Sarah Folwell 0-1), Elon 6-17 (Ali Ford 3-10; Aiesha Harper 2-3; Kelsey Evans 1-2; Sam Coffer 0-2). Fouled out--UNCG-Dayshaun Richbow, Elon-None. Rebounds--UNCG 40 (Jarae Savage 12), Elon 47 (Kelsey Evans 12). Assists--UNCG 5 (Breonna Patterson 3), Elon 12 (Aiesha Harper 5). Total fouls--UNCG 13, Elon 12. Technical fouls--UNCG-None, Elon-None. A-572
- UNCG -
