GREENSBORO, N.C. – Despite a career-high 17 points from sophomore Jade Scaife (Fort Washington, Md./Archbishop Spalding), the UNCG women's basketball team fell in a heartbreaker to Mercer, 74-73, Monday night at Fleming Gymnasium.

The Spartans fall to 5-12 overall and are 0-2 in the SoCon. Mercer improves to 10-8, 2-0 in conference play with the road victory.

With 2:14 remaining, UNCG held a 73-67 lead but Mercer closed on a 7-0 run, including a pair of critical free throws from the Southern Conference's leading scorer Precious Bridges to seal the victory.

Bridges was fouled with six seconds left on the clock and nailed two free throws to give Mercer a one-point lead. The Spartans had one last chance as junior guard Lucy Mason (Stone Mountain, Ga./Chamblee Charter) drove the length of the floor putting up a floater that just missed giving the Bears the victory.

The Blue and Gold finished shooting 39.7 percent on 27-of-68 from the field. UNCG was stellar from the free throw line hitting 15-of-18 attempts. The Spartans had a season-high seven blocks and came away with nine steals.

Mercer's Bridges led all scorers with 20 points but was held to 3-of-15 shooting scoring 14 points from the free throw line (14-for-17).

UNCG had four players in double figures with Scaife leading the way with a career-high 17 (7-of-9) points and eight rebounds. Senior Jarae Savage (Marietta, Ga./North Cobb) finished with 14 points off the bench on 7-of-16 shooting. Classmate Jessica Collins (Raleigh, N.C./Wakefield/Eckerd College) had 13 points and pulled down a career-high nine rebounds. Mason added 12 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals.

In the first half, the Spartans fell behind by seven 41-34 at halftime to Mercer. UNCG took a quick 8-3 lead just five minutes into the contest off a layup from sophomore Bailey Williams (Harrisonburg, Va./Spotswood).

The Bears took their first lead of the half after going on a 16-10 run on a jumper from Bridges with 9:37 left in the half. UNCG would retake the lead and go-ahead 22-19 after a Savage jumper at the 8:33 mark.

In a tightly contested half, the Blue and Gold would trail 27-26 with 5:45 left after a layup from Savage. Mercer would close the half on a 12-8 spurt to lead 41-34 at intermission.

The Spartans would quickly cut the lead to two in the second half after a 5-0 run just 30 seconds off the clock on a three-pointer from Williams and a layup by Collins.

Mason would hit a jumper to make the score 45-44 Bears with 17:12 remaining in the game. Mercer would push its lead to eight points at 55-47 after a 11-2 run capped by a jumper from Bridges.

UNCG would not go away after an 11-5 spurt to make the score 62-60 with 5:45 left in the contest on a layup from Scaife. The Blue and Gold would continue to push ahead leading 71-67 with 2:28 to play off a jumper from Scaife.

With the win, Mercer improved to 2-0 all-time against the Spartans.

UNCG heads on the road to take on ETSU Saturday, Jan. 17 at 2 p.m. in Johnson City, Tenn.