GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG women's basketball team is set to host NCAA Division II Pfeiffer in the season opener Friday night at 7 p.m. in Fleming Gymnasium. The Spartans return ten members from last season's squad that went 6-24 overall. Head Coach Wendy Palmer enters her fifth year at the helm of the women's basketball program is looking forward to getting the season underway.
"We are very excited about our season opener," said Palmer. "This is what we have been working for all spring, summer and fall. We are a very different team than last year and I can't wait to make some noise this season, starting Friday!"
Tickets can be purchased day-of-game at the ticket office or by calling the UNCG Ticket Office at 336-334-3250. Live statistics can be found at UNCGSpartans.com and video of the game will be available on the SoCon Digital Network.
Leading UNCG this season will be Preseason All-Southern Conference selection Lucy Mason (Stone Mountain, Ga./Chamblee Charter). Mason enters her senior year with 1,247 career points, just 388 shy of the all-time scoring record at UNCG.
With a stacked junior class the Spartans are looking to Shanese Harris (Chesapeake, Va./Western Branch), Jade Scaife (Fort Washington, Md./Archbishop Spalding) and center Mariah Wilson (Atlanta, Ga./North Atlanta) to improve upon their numbers from last year.
Mason led UNCG with 24 points in the Spartans lone exhibition game this year. Second in scoring was junior Bailey Williams (Harrisonburg, Va./Spotswood) who tallied 19 points shooting 7-of-8 from the field. Harris and Scaife each dished out 10 points apiece while Wilson led the team with 14 rebounds and three blocks. UNCG cruised to a 94-38 win over NCAA Division III Greensboro at home November 5.
Head coach Tooey Loy enters his second season at the helm of the program after leading Pfeiffer to a 6-21 overall record a year ago. Returning for the Falcons is Third Team All-Conference Carolinas forward Meg Pritchard, who led the team in scoring, rebounding and steals in 2014-15.
Point guard Dajea Scott looks to build off a solid rookie campaign that saw her start 25 of 27 games and average 5.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. Also in the backcourt, Brianna Jones ended her freshman year strong; scoring in double figures in seven of the Falcons last 11 games and went 14-for-19 from the floor over a two game stretch.
Friday night's matchup marks the first time UNCG has played Pfeiffer in the regular season in 27 years. Last time the two met was November 18, 1988, when UNCG defeated the Falcons 96-61 in Greensboro. The Spartans lead the all-time series 3-1.
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