BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. - Nasia Powell notched a career-high 20 points as the UNC Greensboro (UNCG) women's basketball team dropped a Saturday afternoon non-conference contest to Gardner-Webb, 83-66.
 
How it Happened
 
The Spartans jumped to a 5-0 start in the first 1:33 of the opening quarter and then extended their dominant run to 17-3 with 4:11 remaining in the period. Powell powered the Spartans during the opening run with seven of UNCG's 14 points. Gardner-Webb cut the deficit to nine points twice in the period, but the Spartans prevented further cuts as UNCG held a 22-13 advantage through the first quarter.
 
The Spartans' lead returned to double figures 2:16 into the second quarter when Khalis Cain made a layup with an expiring shot clock to elevate the lead back to eleven points. The Runnin' Bulldogs posted an 8-2 run in response over the next 3:09 of the period to shrink the lead to five points, 28-23. Both sides traded the next two field goals, but Gardner-Webb built a 10-4 run to close the half to cut the Spartans' lead down to one at halftime, 34-33.
 
Kennedy Simpson scored the Spartans' first field goal in the third quarter at the 8:55 mark to elevate UNCG's lead back to four, 37-33. Gardner-Webb responded with a 12-0 run that started at the 8:36 mark and lasted for a 2:51 stretch of the period. The Runnin' Bulldogs' lead grew to nine with 5:40 left in the quarter, 48-39. Gardner-Webb's lead entered double digits (ten points) with 2:56 left in the period, but Akira Wiggins' three-point field goal brought the deficit down to five, 52-47, with 2:07 left. Gardner-Webb reclaimed a nine-point lead to close the quarter.
 
UNCG chipped away at the lead early in the fourth quarter as Nitzan Amar's jumper at 7:27 cut the lead to seven, 60-53. The Spartans brought the lead down the six points 6:53 left, but the Runnin' Bulldogs extended the lead back to eleven one minute later, 66-55. Gardner-Webb's lead grew as large as 19 points with 22 seconds remaining as the Runnin' Bulldogs claimed the win.
 
By the Numbers

• Powell shot 8-for-17 from the field (47 percent) while shooting three-for-four from the foul line.
• Simpson finished with eleven points, shooting 5-for-9 from the field, while adding three rebounds, two blocks, and two steals.
• Cain added eight points, six rebounds, and three blocks.
• Amar added six points and five assists off the bench.
• UNCG shot 44.6 percent for the contest compared to 50 percent for Gardner-Webb
• The Spartans' bench outscored the Runnin' Bulldogs' reserves, 18-1.
• UNCG held a slight edge in the paint, 34-32.
• Gardner-Webb held a 22-15 advantage in points off turnovers.

Records
UNCG: 1-1
Gardner-Webb: 1-1
 
Up Next
The Spartans return to Fleming Gymnasium Wednesday for an 11 a.m. contest against Radford.