GREENSBORO, N.C. – Despite a record 889 fans in attendance and a stellar senior night performance from senior Jarae Savage (Marietta, Ga./North Cobb), the UNCG women's basketball team fell just short against Western Carolina, 86-80, Friday night at Fleming Gymnasium. 

The Spartans end the regular season with a 6-23 overall record and is 1-13 in conference play. Western Carolina improves to 11-18 and finishes 3-11 in SoCon action. The 889 fans broke a three-year old record of 713 fans back in 2011. 

Savage recorded her fifth double-double of the season scoring 23 points (9-of-17) and grabbed 13 rebounds on Senior Night. Junior guard Lucy Mason (Stone Mountain, Ga./Chamblee Charter) scored a game-high 24 points, topping 20-plus points for the fourth-straight game, off 8-of-25 from the floor. Mason dished out five assists, had four steals and grabbed nine rebounds.  

Sophomore India Timpton (Charlotte, N.C./Myers Park) added a career-high 13 points (3-of-7), including 7-for-12 from the free throw line and had six rebounds.

UNCG came away with 15 steals and forced 25 Western Carolina turnovers. The Spartans outscored the Catamounts 36-to-22 in points in the paint. Western Carolina was fantastic from the free throw line going 35-of-40 and ended the game shooting 50 percent off 24-of-48 from the field.

The Spartans were 19-of-30 from the free throw line as both teams battled in a physical game where 53 total fouls were called. The Blue and Gold were 28-of-76 from the field and 5-of-22 from three-point land.

The Catamounts were led by freshman Ace Easter who scored 23 points (7-of-11) and was a perfect 8-for-8 from the foul line. Brianne Mack scored a career-high 16 points and pulled down seven rebounds.

In the first half, Western Carolina took a early 12-4 lead off a jumper from Ali Lane with 16:18 remaining in the period. Three minutes later, WCU increased its lead to 18-6 off a jumper from Lindsay Simpson with 13:21 on the clock. 

At the 10:05 mark, a jumper by WCU's Erika Joseph pushed the advantage to 16 points at 24-8. The Catamounts continued to push their lead to 19 points off a jumper from Mack with 5:51 remaining in the half at 35-16. 

UNCG would make a run to cut the lead to 12 points after a three-pointer from Mason to make the score 41-29 with 1:49 till intermission. Mason would score a clutch put-back basket with less than a second left in the half to make the score 45-33 Western Carolina.

The Spartans would come roaring back with a 10-0 run out of halftime capped by a jumper from sophomore Jade Scaife (Fort Washington, Md./Archbishop Spalding) just four minutes into the second period cutting WCU's lead to 45-43.

The Catamounts responded with a 14-6 spurt to go back up nine points at 58-49 as a free throw from Timpton cut the lead with 10:03 left in the game.

Freshman Keli Foster (Hampton, Va./Bethel) ignited the home crowd with a three-pointer at the 7:21 mark to cut WCU's lead to 61-59.

Down by four points, senior guard Jessica Collins (Raleigh, N.C./Wakefield/Eckerd College) would nail another three-pointer with just under five minutes remaining to make it a one-point game at 67-66.

The Catamounts went on a 8-2 run to pull ahead 75-68 off two free throws from Easter with 2:27 left on the clock. Western Carolina would continue to hit free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.

A jumper by sophomore Bailey Williams (Harrisonburg, Va./Spotswood) would end the scoring as the Blue and Gold scored 80 points but came up short to WCU's 86.

The Spartans will head to the Southern Conference Tournament as the No. 8 seed and will face No. 1 seed Chattanooga Thursday, March 5 at noon at Kimmel Arena. 

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

- UNCG -