GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG women's basketball team (8-9, 0-2 in SoCon) lost to Samford (10-7, 2-0 SoCon) in Southern Conference action Saturday afternoon inside Fleming Gymnasium. Lucy Mason (Stone Mountain, Ga./Chamblee Charter) had a game-high 18 points for the Spartans while junior Shanese Harris (Chesapeake, Va./Western Branch) added 12 points and six rebounds in the loss.

UNCG scored the opening basket on a layup by Harris but Samford responded with a 14-2 run over the next five minutes to take a commanding 14-4 lead with 5:36 on the clock. A trey by Kassidy Blevins at 4:26 gave Samford its biggest lead of the game, by 15, 19-4 but UNCG closed out the with three-straight points an impressive defense to trail 19-7 heading into the second.

Mason opened the second frame with a jumper to bring the game within ten, the Spartans forced five Bulldog turnovers while putting together an 11-2 run over the first seven minutes of the quarter to trail by three, 18-21, with 3:09 until halftime. Samford was able to hold on to its lead for a six-point advantage, 24-18, at the break.

The Spartans shot just 26.9 percent from the field in the first half and was led by Harris and Mason who each had six points. Samford shot 32.1 percent from the floor and 37.5 percent from three-point range in the half. Destiney Elliott led all scorers with 11 points and seven rebounds shooting 5-of-7 from the field.

UNCG out-rebounded Samford 21-18 with 16 of those rebounds being defensive.

A pair of free throws by Harris at 6:19 in the third made it a one-possession game with Samford holding a 26-24 advantage. The Spartans were unable to overcome the hump as Samford continued to exchange basket for basket to hold a 39-34 lead after three quarters of action.

A 5-0 run to start the fourth quarter in which senior Jazmine Missouri (Largo, Md./Academy of the Holy Cross) accounted for all of UNCG's points, tied the game 39-all at 8:39. The Spartans took their first lead, 44-43, with 5:14 left in regulation but Samford quickly returned to the top. UNCG held a one-point lead 52-51 with 1:54 to play but Samford sunk four-of-six free throws down the stretch to hold on for a 57-52 win.

UNCG improved to shoot 40 percent from the field in the second half. Despite being out-rebounded 18-11 on the board the Spartans forced 17 Samford turnovers and tallied a season-high 11 steals in a half. Mason paced her team with 12 points shooting 50 percent from field goal range and a perfect four-for-four at the charity stripe.

Overall, UNCG shot 33.3 percent from the field and 78.3 percent from the free throw line. The Spartans tallied 22 points in the paint and 10 points off of a fast break. Samford won the battle on the boards 34-32 and shot an impressive 40.7 percent from the field.

UNCG hits the road for a pair of SoCon games next week. The Spartans first travel to ETSU Thursday, January 14 and then SoCon favorite Chattanooga Saturday, January 16. UNCG returns home January 20 to welcome Wofford to Fleming Gymnasium. Prior to the start of the game, senior Lucy Mason will be recognized for becoming the program's all-time leading scorer.

-UNCG-