Women's Basketball 12/14/2014 4:23:00 PM UNCGSpartans.com

Women's Basketball Comeback Bid Falls Short at VCU, 80-73

Box Score RICHMOND, Va. – The UNCG women's basketball team rallied back from a 15-point deficit but came just short at VCU, 80-73, Sunday afternoon at the Siegal Center.

The Spartans fall to 4-6 on the season after dropping a close one to VCU who improves to 5-4. It marks the first time this season that UNCG has lost when scoring 70 or more points.

Four Spartans had double-figures with senior guard Jessica Collins (Raleigh, N.C./Wakefield/Eckerd College) leading the way with a season-high 17 points, including 4-of-8 from downtown. Classmate Jarae Savage (Marietta, Ga./North Cobb) recorded her first double-double of the season with 16 points and a career-high 13 rebounds off the bench.

Junior guard Lucy Mason (Stone Mountain, Ga./Chamblee Charter) added 14 points (4-of-10) and dished out a career-high eight assists. Sophomore Bailey Williams (Harrisonburg, Va./Spotswood) scored 10 points and classmate India Timpton (Charlotte, N.C./Myers Park) grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds in the loss.

The Blue and Gold finished the game shooting 36 percent (27-of-75) but were solid at the free throw line at 73 percent hitting 11-of-15. UNCG pulled down a season-high 50 rebounds, including 22 offensively holding VCU to just 37 on the glass. The Spartans also had a season-high with 22 assists marking the first time with 20-plus assists since November 15, 2013 against South Carolina State.

Sophomore Keira Robinson led the Rams with a game-high 19 points, including 10-of-11 from the charity stripe. VCU went to the free throw line 31 times making 26 to prove to be a key difference in the contest.

VCU took control in the second half with a 9-3 run to push its lead to 51-42 just three minutes in off a layup from Chadarryl Clay. With 11:25 remaining, the Rams would hold their biggest lead of the game after a made three from Ashley Pegram to make the score 64-49.

The Spartans would come roaring back with an impressive 14-0 run over four minutes to tie the score at 66-66 capped by a fast-break layup from sophomore Jade Scaife (Fort Washington, Md./Archbishop Spalding). During the run, Williams had five points with a key three-pointer at the 4:56 mark.

The Rams would take a 70-66 lead with 3:12 remaining but UNCG would not go away as Collins and Mason hit back-to-back threes to take a 72-70 advantage with 1:33 left in the contest.

VCU would not be denied outscoring UNCG 10-1 to finish the game as the Spartans fell short.

In the first half, VCU took a 42-39 lead but the Spartans played tough not letting the Rams have a lead larger than seven. Savage led the way with 10 first-half points with five rebounds. Collins chipped in with nine points off 2-of-4 shooting from three-point land. Mason had eight points on 3-of-7 shooting from the field.

VCU opened the game with a 5-0 advantage off back-to-back layups from Adaeze Alaeze and Keira Robinson. UNCG would respond cutting the lead to 9-7 off layups from Savage and Mason with 17:30 left in the half.

Timpton hit two free throws to tie the game at 11-11 at the 16:15 mark. The score would be tied seven times in the half and the lead would change hands four times.

VCU had its biggest lead after an 11-0 run late in the half to give the Rams a 40-33 lead off a three-pointer from Isis Thorpe at the 1:38 mark. The Spartans responded with a 6-2 spurt to trail by only three heading into intermission.

The Blue and Gold head to New York to face St. Bonaventure Wednesday, Dec. 17 at 7 p.m.

Follow the UNCG women's basketball team all season long by logging on to www.uncgspartans.com and following the Spartans official Twitter feeds @uncgsports/@uncgwbb

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