Women's Basketball 12/5/2014 10:38:00 PM UNCGSpartans.com

Second Half Burst Leads Women's Basketball Past Gardner-Webb, 76-60

Box Score GREENSBORO, N.C. – Trailing by eight at halftime, the UNCG women's basketball team used a strong second half to race past Gardner-Webb, 76-60, Friday night at Fleming Gymnasium.

With the victory, UNCG improves to 3-4 on the season while Gardner-Webb has dropped two-straight at 3-5. The Spartans took control after outscoring the visitors 42-18 in the second half.

Senior forward Jarae Savage (Marietta, Ga./North Cobb) led five Spartans' in double figures with 16 points off the bench. Savage added four rebounds, two assists and four steals. Classmate Jessica Collins (Raleigh, N.C./Wakefield/Eckerd College) had 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including 2-for-3 from the three-point line. Sophomores Jade Scaife (Fort Washington, Md./Archbishop Spalding) and Shanese Harris (Chesapeake, Va/Western Branch) each had 11 points. Junior guard Lucy Mason (Stone Mountain, Ga./Chamblee Charter) finished with 10 points, scoring in double figures for the seventh-straight game to open the season.

The Blue and Gold defense made the difference as Gardner-Webb turned the ball over 29 times leading to 33 points for UNCG. The Spartans also swiped 16 steals leading to 17 fast-break buckets. UNCG ended the game shooting 41.7 percent on 30-for-72 from the field and went 5-of-7 from three in the second half.

In the second half, UNCG immediately cut Gardner-Webb's lead to five off a three-pointer from Collins to open the stanza. Collins would add a layup and another three to account for UNCG's first eight points of the half to make the score 46-42 Gardner-Webb at the 16:31 mark.

Two minutes later, the Blue and Gold would take the lead off a mini 5-0 run from Savage off a three-pointer and a jumper to push the score to 47-46 in UNCG's favor.

After trading baskets, Harris would hit a corner three to give UNCG a 52-51 advantage but Gardner-Webb would re-take the lead with a jumper from Olivia Parker with 11:42 remaining.

The Spartans would rally with a key 11-0 run off four minutes long capped by a three-ball from Mason to make the score 63-53. After a jumper by Jessica Heilig, UNCG would go on another run upping its lead to 72-55 with 3:14 left in the game.

The Blue and Gold would hold Gardner-Webb to just five points the rest of the way as a huge 20-2 run in the second half was the difference.

In the first half, Gardner-Webb took a 42-34 halftime lead thanks to 16 points from Heilig on 5-of-7 shooting and a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line. The Runnin' Bulldogs used their size in the paint scoring 30 of the 42 points down low.

With eight minutes left in the first half, both teams were tied at 22 off a layup from Collins. UNCG would go ahead 26-22 off a couple free throws from Harris. Gardner-Webb went on a 18-8 run over the next six minutes to go into the locker room with a eight point lead.

The Blue and Gold head back out on the road to local rival High Point Monday, Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. at the Millis Center.

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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