GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) women's basketball team fell to Samford University Saturday afternoon at Fleming Gym 62-57 in Southern Conference (SoCon) play.
Graduate student
Pernilla Sorensen led the Spartans offense matching a career-best 17 points. She went 4-for-9 behind the three-point line and 5-for-10 in field goals. Freshman
Isys Grady dropped 14 points for second on the team.
Prior to the game, the Spartans recognized senior
Aja Boyd who earned two milestones. During the December 7
th game against College of Charleston, Boyd reached 1,000 career points and 100 career blocks.
Boyd on the honor
"This accomplishment is really something to be proud of. I would just like to send love to my family, my teammates, and my coaches, especially Coach Patterson and her belief in me. Without them none of this is possible. I'm just so blessed."
How It Happened
- The first quarter was a defensive battle with both teams dropping just 13 points.
- Grady scored the first basket of the game with 6:30 left in the first frame.
- UNCG saw its largest lead of 11, 26-15, in the second quarter, as the Spartans went on a 13-2 run to kick off the frame, 26-15.
- Nine of those 13 points came from Sorensen.
- During the run, Sorensen hit her second three of the game at 9:08 in the second quarter, with the fourth put back of that series.
- The Bulldogs were able to run with an 8-0 advantage cutting the deficit to one, 30-29, closing out the first half.
- Samford went up by one, 33-32, for its first lead of the game in the third quarter, but UNCG bounced back going on a 10-0 run, 42-33.
- Sorensen's fourth three of the game closed out the third quarter for a seven-point advantage, 49-42.
- Samford controlled the fourth quarter holding UNCG to just eight points, while the Bulldogs scored 20 to take the victory, 62-57.
Records
UNCG 4-11, 0-2 SoCon
Samford 7-10, 2-1 SoCon
By the Numbers
- Sorensen matched her career-high of 17 points to lead the Spartans.
- This was her second game of the season with double-digits.
- Isys Grady was the only other Spartan with double-digit points, scoring 14.
- This was her 11th game with double-digit points.
- Boyd and Khalis Cain each chipped in 10 rebounds, while Boyd also contributed nine points.
- The Spartans just edged the Bulldogs in rebounds, 40-39.
- There were seven tied scores in the game with just three lead changes.
- For the Bulldogs' Andrea Cournoyer scored 27 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists.
- Mallory Hampton was second on the team with nine points and four assists.
- Samford leads the series 22-7.
Final Word
UNCG head coach Trina Patterson
"Heading into the game, we knew Samford was a really good team and had the Preseason Player of the Year on our court. I am just disappointed in our defense, especially in the fourth quarter when the Bulldogs shot 50-percent. We just have to settle down at the end of the game, be more poised. We want to be chased at the end of the game; Samford chased us. We did outrebound them. We are right there and are competing, we just have to embrace the battle. We have to have a grinding mentality."
On Sorensen's performance
"Pernilla is starting to come into her own. She is starting to do a really good job, including stretching the defense so that we can get penetration."
On Boyd's milestones
"Aja is playing as hard as she can. I am so happy she is able to join the 1,000 points and 100 blocks clubs, especially when she didn't know if she was going to be able to play this year. She is a remarkable leader and a great player. Congratulations!"
Up Next
UNCG heads on the road for three-straight games, with its first battle facing ETSU on Thursday, January 20 in Johnson City, Tenn. with a tipoff at 7:00 p.m.
