GAME NOTES (PDF)

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The UNCG women's basketball team plays its final nonconference contest of the season Sunday, traveling south to Birmingham, Ala. for a matchup against Conference USA opponent UAB. The Spartans, who have won two of their last three games, went toe to toe with No. 23 Florida State last Saturday and dropped a 93-63 decision to the Seminoles. 

Freshman Lucy Mason (Stone Mountain, Ga./Chamblee Charter) led the Blue and Gold in scoring for the seventh time in 10 games this year, netting 21 points and hitting a career-high five three-point field goals. She also posted four assists and three steals. Sophomore Jessica Collins (Raleigh, N.C./Eckerd College) and freshman Ebona Goins (Greensboro, N.C./Dudley) also reached double figures with 11 each – a personal best for both players. On the glass, senior Sidnei Harmon (Cincinnati, Ohio/Turpin) paced the Spartans with eight boards. 

UNCG tied a program single-game record with 12 three-point field goals as Mason drained a career-high five with all of them occurring in the second half. 

• Saturday's contest marks the second meeting between UNCG and UAB with the Blazers winning the first meeting by a 72-42 score last season (Dec. 6, 2011). 

• UNCG holds an 8-23 record against current members of Conference USA. The Spartans have faced East Carolina (6-15), Marshall (2-0), Rice (0-2), SMU (0-1), Tulane (0-3), UAB (0-1) and UCF (0-1) but have never played Houston, Memphis, Southern Miss, Tulsa or UTEP. 

• In last year's meeting with the Blazers, Senior Jazz Weaver scored a career-high 12 points to lead the Spartans (2-5), while freshman Jarae Savage had another solid performance with 11 points and seven rebounds. Point guard Dayshaun Richbow played the entire 40 minutes and flirted with a double-double with a team-high eight rebounds and a game-high eight assists. Sophomore Nneka Awuruonye scored a career-high nine points to go along with a career-high six rebounds. 

Amber Jones scored a career-high 25 to lead UAB, going 8-for-12 from the floor and 4-for-5 from beyond the arc. LaShaunda Pratt scored 18 points on six 3-pointers, while Karisma Chapman added 11 points for the Blazers. UAB was 13-for-26 from 3-point range Tuesday, hitting more three-point shots than two-pointers (11). UAB shot 50 percent from 3-point range and just 30.6 percent from inside the arc. 

• The Blazers enter Saturday's contest with an 8-3 record and defeated UT Martin by a 56-51 score. Chapman finished with 17 points to lead all scorers, while Jones added 12 and freshman Chelsee Black tallied 11. Senior guard Khalilah Watson registered a team-high nine rebounds and Grimes completed her day with seven points.

FROSH LEADING THE WAY...
Freshman Lucy Mason is averaging a stellar 15.4 points per game thus far this season. Not only is she the top freshman scorer in the Southern Conference, but she also ranks sixth nationally among all rookies. 

SCORING IS WAY UP...
After averaging just 49.6 points per game last season, the Spartans are scoring 58.6 a contest this year. UNCG netted 71 points against Norfolk State, its most since dropping in 70 at North Carolina Central Nov. 26, 2011. 

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE FOR POINTS...
UNCG's seven freshmen have earned valuable playing experience this season and are responsible for over half of the Spartans' offensive output. Of UNCG's 589 points, the rookies have scored 327 (55 percent). 

DEFENSIVE CLAMPS...
UNCG limited North carolina Central to just 39 points in Wednesday's victory at Fleming Gymnasium. The Spartans allowed their fewest amount of points in a single game since holding Fordham to 39 in a 50-39 victory at Fleming Gymnasium Dec. 13, 2008. 

PLAY THE D...
The Spartans have played some intense defense so far this season, racking up 126 steals and forcing 232 turnovers. Mason owns a team-best 22 steals while UNCG ranks second in the league with 12.6 per contest. 

MAKING IT RAIN FROM RANGE...
Not only did UNCG tie a single-game program record with 12 three-point field goals against nationally-ranked Florida State, the Spartans fired at 57 percent from beyond the arc - marking their highest percentage since hitting five of seven against Chattanooga last season (Jan. 28, 2012). 

LUCKY NUMBER 7(0)...
Over the last four seasons, UNCG is 20-1 when scoring at least 70 points. The Spartans' last loss when scoring 70 was nearly five years ago, Dec. 20, 2007, when UNCG lost at UCF, 76-73. The Blue and Gold reached 70 points just once last year, but it turned out to be in victory as UNCG downed N.C. Central 70-53 on the road. 

THREE-POINT STREAK AT 30...
UNCG has nailed at least one three-point field goal in the last 30 games and 185 of the last 186. The Spartans owned a streak of 155-straight contests with a triple until they went 0-6 at Wofford Dec. 17, 2011. 

STUFFED...
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 83 to her credit now, she is fourth 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.

UP NEXT...
UNCG returns home for two Southern Conference games and will open 2013 with a matchup against Chattanooga Saturday, Jan. 5 at Fleming Gymnasium. The Spartans and Mocs will tip at 2 p.m.

- UNCG -