GREENSBORO, N.C. - UNCG women's basketball (2-7, 0-0) secures a win over visiting Converse (1-3, 0-0) this Sunday, after holding the Valkyrie to 25-percent shooting in a 69-37 final. Freshman forward Khalis Cain came within two boards of her first career double-double after scoring 15 and pulling down eight rebounds, while Tori Powell (12) and Amber Redmond (10) each scored in double-digits.

"We're really excited about the potential of some of our players to play a lot of minutes, but hadn't seen the results yet," said Spartan head coach Trina Patterson. "One example was actually a starter, Khalis Cain, who was 7-for-10 and very close to a double-double. I think she has some star power. Not yet, because she is such a young player in the game, having just started her career in the seventh grade, but she definitely has the body type and she's very coachable. We're looking for great things from her."

The UNCG offense opened up the early afternoon contest with a 10-0 run, outscoring the visitors 15-4 in the opening 10 minutes. The Valkyrie scored just two baskets in that first 10 minutes while going 0-for-6 from beyond the arc, with the Spartans hitting seven of their 14 attempts from the floor.

Converse managed just five more points in the second quarter to finish the first half 4-for-27, with the Spartan defense keeping its opponent scoreless from beyond the arc. Cain scored eight of her 15 in the opening 20, with UNCG's 30 points in the paint giving the home team a 32-9 advantage at the break.

Just a game removed from setting a career-high against Tennessee, senior guard Tori Powell added seven points in the Spartans' third quarter, hitting 3-of-5 with a three-pointer. The home team opened up a commanding 36-point lead at the midway point of the term, but the Valkyrie would connect late in the period to limit the deficit to 53-24 before the start of the fourth.

"...[Tori Powell] scoring 16 at Tennessee, gave her a confidence boost," said coach Patterson. "It showed us that when she plays off the ball, she is very good on spot threes and she becomes very dangerous. She's a good decision maker. I really love her confidence now. She's playing some of her best basketball, and we need that going into conference play."

Cain helped the Spartans close out the final 10 minutes, scoring five and pulling down four rebounds in the last stanza. Jaylynn Brown added four points before the final buzzer, in addition to a steal and a pair of rebounds. She was a part of a Spartan bench that contributed 19 points on the day, in what would end 69-37 in favor of the home team.

>> Sunday's victory marks the first time since November 25, 2018 that the Spartan defense has held a team below 40, when they beat visiting UNC Pembroke by a final of 72-32
>> The Spartans outscored the Valkyrie 50-16 in the paint and outrebounded their opponents 40-37 in all
>> UNCG's 50-percent shooting was a season-best for the Spartans, the team's best average since beating Western Carolina on the road last February

COMING UP NEXT
The Spartans host Western Carolina for the first SoCon matchup of the season, with UNCG's conference opener scheduled for January 10th at 2 p.m., inside Fleming Gymnasium. Coach Patterson's side did the double against the Catamounts last season, beating WCU at home 54-43 and defeating the side 72-61 in Cullowhee. 

#letsgoG