GREENSBORO, N.C.- The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) women's basketball team didn't let its first quarter jitters get the best of them, as they defeated the UNC Asheville Bulldogs, 52-48, on Tuesday mornings season opener in Fleming Gym.
 
Senior Jaylynn "JB" Brown led the Spartans with 19 points, nine from behind the arc.
 
  
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The first point of the 2021-22 season waited until the 7:03 mark in the first quarter to come. After being fouled, Khalis Cain went to the line and made a free-throw. The Spartans would only score two more points in the first.
• Defensively, the Blue and Gold outrebounded Asheville, 14-11. 11 of the rebounds were on defense.
• Jaylynn Brown led the Spartans on a 17-0 run to open the second quarter. Freshman Isys Grady joined with four, Amber Redmond with three, and Cain with two.
• A fast break lay-up from CeCe Crudup would close out the first half, giving UNCG a dominant 11-point lead.
• The largest lead of the game came in the third quarter when Brown scored five points in the opening minute to grow the Spartans lead to 16.
• UNCG went into the final quarter with a 13-point lead, 10 minutes from starting the season with a win.
• Asheville cut the Spartans lead to two with less than 1:30 left. A foul from Asheville would send Brown to the line, where she's been perfect today.
• Brown remained perfect, easily making both free throws and forced Asheville to call a timeout with 14 seconds left in the game.
• Asheville went up for a three-pointer and junior Amber Redmond denied her with the biggest block of the game.
• Time expired and UNCG defeated Asheville, 52-48.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Brown led the Spartans with 19 points, nine came from behind the arc, while four came from the free throw line.
• Cain was the other Spartan to have double digit points. The sophomore finished with 12. She also led the team with six blocks.
• Five freshmen saw time on the court. Isys Grady and Nitzan Amar earned starting positions, while Jailah Clark-Jones, Nasia Powell, and Nia Howard came off the bench.
• Crudup led the team in total rebounds with nine, three offensive and six defensive.
• Redmond and Brown had two steals each, while Crudup, Amar, and Grady had one.

 
QUOTES FROM TRINA PATTERSON
"We don't have it all together now, I don't think any coach in the country does, but especially our team because of our youth. We had three freshmen on the court at one time. I say, 'We don't have it all together right now, but together we have it all.' We have great three-point shooters and great rebounders, but we have to stay on the same page."

"I thought we did a really good job guarding [Asheville's] best player. We knew our assignments going into the game. I'm really proud of [Jaylynn Brown] who I think is our consistent offensive weapon. She has the ability to take over the game. Khalis, I'm really proud of. She was a defensive force. We played great defense."

On the Freshmen
"We started two. Isys did a good job. Nitzan played well in spurts. We're happy with her performance. Nia comes in and gives us four points off the bench. I'm very happy with how they handled the adversity."
 
UPCOMING
The Spartans will test their talents on the road with a game against ACC member, Wake Forest, on Sunday, Nov. 14. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. inside the LJVM Coliseum.