GREENSBORO, N.C. – Senior Lucy Mason (Stone Mountain, Ga./Chamblee Charter) scored a game-high 25 points in UNCG's 73-64 loss to Tennessee Tech (3-5) Saturday afternoon. Mason has scored 20 or more points in all eight of the Spartans' contests this season and has recorded the game-high in six.

Tennessee Tech scored the first basket of the game and never once trailed. The Spartans trailed by 11, 22-11, at the end of the first period. A 13-4 run by TTU in the second period gave the Golden Eagles their largest lead of the game at the 2:16 mark, 40-19. The two teams exchanged baskets over the final two minutes of play with UNCG trailing 25-44 at halftime.

UNCG shot 33.3 percent from the field in the first half while Tennessee Tech was 13-for-26 from the field paced by Samaria Howard who led all scorers with 13 points. Mason and Shanese Harris (Chesapeake, Va./Western Branch) led the Spartans with eight points each.

Tennessee Tech controlled the flow for majority of the third period but UNCG sparked a 9-2 Spartans run from 6:17 to 2:15 brought the game within 14, 52-38. The Golden Eagles held on to lead 56-40 at the end of the period.

UNCG opened the final frame on a 9-0 run with Bailey Williams (Harrisonburg, Va./Spotswood) accounting for seven of the Spartans points to bring the deficit to nine. TTU responded with a jumper by Yaktavia Hickson at 6:10 to make it 62-49. The Spartans continued to chip away at the score and a Mason trey with 18 seconds left made it a seven-point game but UNCG was unable to force TTU turnovers and lost by nine, 73-64.

UNCG improved to shoot 36.1 percent in the second half, with Mason leading all scorers with 17 points. The Spartans held a 22-16 advantage in rebounds and shot a perfect 10-or-10 from the free throw line.

Mason, Williams and Harris all scored in double figures for UNCG while Mariah Wilson (Atlanta, Ga./North Atlanta) tallied a rebound become sixth all-time in career blocks for UNCG.

The Spartans (3-5) return to the hardwood inside Fleming Gymnasium when they host Barton at 7 p.m. Monday, December 7.

-UNCG-