Game Notes (PDF)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – After suffering a 63-43 loss at College of Charleston Monday, the UNCG women's basketball team goes back on the road for a Saturday matchup at Samford. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. and the contest can be seen on ESPN3.
The Spartans look to avoid extending their losing streak to three games, but it will be tough against a Bulldog squad that is 7-2 at the Pete Hanna Center this season.
In Charleston, senior forward Sidnei Harmon (Cincinnati, Ohio/Turpin) posted her first double-double of the season with 10 points and a career-high 15 rebounds (nine offensive) to pace the Spartans in both categories. Meanwhile, sophomore guard Jessica Collins (Raleigh, N.C./Eckerd College) nailed a trio of three-point field goals to end up with nine points.
The Cougars shot 34 percent overall (22-for-65) and used 21 offensive rebounds to score 12 second-chance points. College of Charleston also excelled in the paint, racking up 28 points to UNCG's 16. The teams combined for 35 turnovers and just 13 assists in a sloppily played contest. The Blue and Gold also struggled from the foul line, hitting just 11 of 22 attempts.
• Saturday's contest marks the 11th meeting between UNCG and Samford with the Bulldogs holding a 7-3 advantage in the series. Samford won the first meeting this season at Fleming Gymnasium by a 60-46 score. The Spartans are winless against the Bulldogs on the road (0-4).
• In the season's first meeting, freshman guard Lucy Mason scored a team-high 18 points while Collins netted a career-best 14. Junior forward Janae' Stevenson posted two blocks while pulling down 11 rebounds. Mason also knocked down a trio of three-point field goals to account for half of her offensive output. UNCG was hampered by a poor shooting performance, knocking down less than 30 percent of its shots in each half to finish with a 27-percent showing (17-for-64 from the field). Meanwhile, Samford ended up at 43 percent as the Bulldogs fired at a 52-percent clip in the first 20 minutes. The Spartans committed fewer turnovers than the visitors, with just 11 miscues to the Bulldogs' 13, but Samford out-scored the Blue and Gold 32-10 inside the paint. UNCG won the battle on the offensive glass, racking up 17 offensive rebounds to the Bulldogs' eight. However, Samford came away with the overall edge just slightly, 44-43.
• Samford traveled to Chattanooga Wednesday and came away with a 60-46 setback. As a team, Samford shot just 29.3 percent overall and 26.1 percent from three-point range. Chattanooga made 39.7 percent of its shots overall, but UTC shot 50.0 percent in the second half. The Lady Mocs made 35.3 percent of their three-pointers. Chattanooga outrebounded Samford, 46-35. The Bulldogs were led by senior Hannah Dawson, who produced her fourth double-double of the season, scoring 15 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Fellow senior Jazmine Martin scored 13 points, and sophomore Taylor Reece added 12 points. For Chattanooga, Kayla Christopher led the way with 18 points, all coming in the second half. Tatianna Jackson added 10 points for the Lady Mocs.
• The Spartans are in the midst of a stretch in which they are playing eight of 10 games away from home. After this weekend, five of UNCG's last six contests will take place at Fleming Gymnasium.
NEXT UP...
UNCG closes the weekend with a contest at Chattanooga Monday. Tipoff at McKenzie Arena is set for 5:30 p.m. The Mocs defeated the Spartans 73-43 earlier this season at Fleming Gymnasium.
- UNCG -
