Game Notes (PDF)

GREENSBORO, N.C. - After playing three of its first five contests away from Fleming Gymnasium, the UNCG women's basketball team kicks off a five-game homestand Monday night, hosting College of Charleston in a Southern Conference matchup. The teams will tip off beginning at 7 p.m.

The Spartans opened league play Saturday at Western Carolina and dropped a tight 47-44 contest. Freshman Ciara Morris netted a career-best 13 points in the narrow loss with 10 of them coming in the second half alone. She also paced the Spartans with eight rebounds and five steals. The difference in the game was found in the shooting percentages. UNCG put up 63 shots as compared to 40 for Western, but the Spartans hit just 17 field goals to finish with a 27-percent showing from the field. The Catamounts hit 45-percent of their tries conversely. Western Carolina also finished with a 42-32 advantage on the glass, but the Blue and Gold secured 16 offensive rebounds to the Catamounts' 10.

Monday's contest marks the 35th meeting between UNCG and College of Charleston with the Spartans holding a 22-12 advantage in the series. The teams split a pair of matchups a season ago.

College of Charleston was picked to finish eighth in the league standings by the media and 10th by the SoCon coaches. Junior Jillian Brown now stands alone in 10th place on the Cougars all-time career assist list. Brown is two assists short of moving into ninth.

The Cougars enter the game at 3-4 overall and 1-0 in SoCon play after a 57-55 road win at Elon Sunday. College of Charleston is 2-3 on the road, with one of those losses a 103-39 setback at national power Connecticut. The Cougars' other road win occurred at East Carolina by a score of 72-62.

UNCG AT A GLANCE:
Record: 1-4 (.200) >> Southern Conference Record/Standing (0-1/T-7th) >> Last Five Games: 1-4 (.200) >> Last 10 games: 2-8 (.200) >> Last 15 games: 2-13 (.133) >> Miscellaneous: UNCG plays the 35th game in Palmer's tenure as the Spartans host College of Charleston. UNCG's all-time record stands at 673-462 (.593).

• Freshman point guard Lucy Mason has enjoyed a fine start to her UNCG career as she is averaging a team-best 14.8 points in the Spartans' first five contests. She has led the squad in scoring four times while averaging 33.6 minutes played. Mason also currently ranks seventh among SoCon players in scoring average.

• The Spartans have played some intense defense so far this season, racking up 72 steals and forcing 135 turnovers. Mason and Patterson each have 12 steals while UNCG ranks first in the league and in the top 15 nationally with 14.4 per contest. The Spartans are also among the top 50 NCAA Division I squads in turnover margin. The Blue and Gold forced 25 Western Carolina turnovers Saturday as the Catamounts entered the contest comitting just 13 per game.

• UNCG has nailed at least one three-point field goal in the last 25 games and 180 of the last 181. The Spartans owned a streak of 155-straight contests with a triple until they went 0-6 at Wofford Dec. 17, 2011.

• Junior Janae' Stevenson is rapidly moving her way up the UNCG career blocked shots list. As a freshman, she swatted 36 shots, the fourth-most in a single season in school history. She did two better with 38 blocked shots last season. With 78 to her credit now, she is fifth in program career history. Stevenson blocked a career-high four shots in UNCG's 55-54 win over Georgia Southern last year. Should she maintain her current pace, Stevenson should easily surpass UNCG's career record of 121 by Rebecca Viverette (1994-98) by the time her career is over.

• UNCG has historically been dominant in Fleming Gym, posting a 194-84 (.698) mark at the venue. In 23 years, UNCG has had just four losing seasons in the facility. Last season, the playing surface was christened Lynne Agee Court in honor of the former UNCG coach, who retired in March 2011 after 30 years at the helm. The court was officially dedicated at halftime of UNCG's Dec. 3 contest against Samford.

• UNCG will step back into nonconference play for its next game, continuing its five-game homestand with a contest against Richmond Dec. 8 at Fleming Gymnasium. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.

- UNCG -