CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - UNCG women's basketball falls by a final of 96-35 against in-state, ACC rival North Carolina this Saturday in Chapel Hill.

With a handful of injuries hampering the UNCG lineup, the Spartans sent out a starting five of CeCe Crudup, Tori Powell, Amber Redmond, Pernilla Sorensen and Lillian Izundu to open the 2020-21 season. 

The Spartan defense did its job in the early stages, forcing poor percentage shots from the Tar Heels, making the home team miss five of its first attempts from the floor. UNC would adjust during the first media timeout however, turning a 7-6 lead into a 36-6 advantage on a 29-0 run going into the second.

The home side continued to pour it on leading in to the halftime break, taking a 51-11 advantage into the second half. Sorensen pulled down four boards in the opening 20 minutes, while Crudup scored four with a bucket and a pair of free throws.

The third quarter went in similar fashion before the Spartan offense began to find its touch in the final 10 minutes. Sorensen would knock down two three-pointers in the fourth quarter to finish with a team-high of eight points. The senior also added three boards in the final 20 minutes to come within three rebounds and a bucket of her first career double-double at UNCG.

>> The Spartans were 4-of-8 from beyond the arc during the fourth quarter, with Izundu and redshirt-freshman Jordan Releford adding one apiece to Sorensen's pair
>> Freshman forward Khalis Cain made her Spartan debut against the Tar Heels, playing 24 minutes in all
>> Sophomore Excellanxt Greer had three assists on the day for a new career-high while pulling down a pair of boards

Coming Up Next
The Spartans return home for their first contest inside Fleming Gymnasium this campaign, hosting Campbell University on Tuesday, December 1st. The Camels have had a bit of a false start to their own season, falling to NC Central in double overtime before facing with UNCW this Saturday in Wilmington.

#letsgoG