Box Score GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG women's basketball fell to 4-6 with a 52-95 loss on the road at UNC Asheville Thursday night inside Kimmel Arena. The Bulldogs advance to 7-1 overall with their sixth consecutive win. Lucy Mason (Stone Mountain, Ga./Chamblee Charter) had 13 points in the second half to record a game-high 17 points and lead the Spartans in scoring for the 10th time this season.
UNC Asheville jumped out to an early 5-0 lead holding the Spartans scoreless until the five-minute mark in the opening period. The Bulldogs opened the second frame with a 19-2 run to extend its lead to 38-13 with two and a half minutes to play in the half. UNCG finished the first half on a 6-2 run to trail 40-18 at halftime.
The Spartans shot 25.9 percent from the field and went 0-for-six from behind the arc. The Bulldogs held UNCG's leading scorer Mason to just four points. Shanese Harris (Chesapeake, Va./Western Branch) led the team with six points while Jade Scaife (Fort Washington, Md./Archbishop Spalding) had five points.
Despite having its strongest offensive period in the third, UNCG trailed by 62-37 heading into the final frame. Mason went off for the Spartans in the second half, scoring 13 points to lead all scorers. Gena Penick (Amherst, Va./Louisburg) led all players with nine rebounds in the second half.
UNCG improved to shoot 35.9 percent from the filed in the second half but Asheville also improved, shooting 54.1 percent from the field and made 11-of-14 shots from the charity stripe. UNCG held a 26-22 advantage on rebounds in the half and scored 15 points off second chance opportunities.
Overall, UNCG shot 31.8 percent from the field and was held to just one three-point basket the whole game. Freshman Arielle Harvey (Loganville, Ga./South Gwinnett) had a career-high seven points. Scaife and Penick also both recorded seven points while Penick also recorded a game-high nine boards.
Four Bulldogs scored in double figures with Tianna Knuckles leading her team with 15 points connecting on five-of-seven shots from downtown.
Thursday was just the third loss in program history to UNC Asheville as UNCG leads the all-time series 14-3. Asheville has won the last two meetings.
The Spartans continue their four-game road stretch when they head south to New Orleans, La., to take on New Orleans as well as participate in the Tulane Invitational December 20-21.
