GREENSBORO, N.C. - The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) women's basketball team will close out the 2023 calendar year by hosting Converse on Friday, Dec. 29 at 7 p.m. in Fleming Gym.

Game Info
Where: Greensboro, N.C. | Fleming Gym
When: Friday, Dec. 29 | 7 p.m.     
Watch: Live Stats | ESPN+
Tickets

LAST TIME OUT FOR UNCG

• The Spartans most recently dropped a close battle at UNC Asheville, 72-71 on Thursday, Dec. 21 before Christmas break.
• The contest featured 14 lead changes and nine tied scores.
• Three Spartans scored double figures in the game, including Jayde Gamble with 18, Nia Howard with 15 and Ayanna Khalfani with 13.
• Gamble led the team for a new career high of four three-pointers made and went 4-for-5 from behind the arc.
• Howard's 15 points was a season high. She went 7-for-12 in field goals in the game.
• Khalfani led the team with five assists and three steals.
• Khalis Cain paced the squad with six boards and two blocks.
• UNCG posted 32 points in the paint.

SCOUTING THE SPARTANS

• The Spartans come into Friday's matchup with a 9-4 overall record.
• UNCG is undefeated at home at 7-0. The last time the squad started off 7-0 at home was in the 2001-02 season.
• Gamble is 16^th in the country and first in The Southern Conference (SoCon) with 36 steals.
• Cain ranks 29^th nationally and second in the conference with a 3.8 offensive rebounds per game average.
• Gamble paces the team with 156 points and a 12.0 points per game average. Isys Grady follows closely behind with 137 points and 10.5 points per game.
• Khalfani leads the team with 43 dimes this season.
• As a team, UNCG is top 50 nationally in two categories with 14.5 offensive rebounds per game and a 55.2 scoring defense average. 
• The Spartans lead the conference in four statistical categories: assist/turnover ratio (0.96), blocks per game (4.2), steals per game (8.4), and turnover margin (2.54).
• UNCG currently stands in the third place in the SoCon, following Chattanooga and ETSU, respectively. 
• The Spartans were picked to finish sixth in the 2023-24 SoCon Preseason Coaches' Poll, trailing ETSU, Chattanooga, Mercer, Wofford and Furman and coming in front of Samford and Western Carolina.
• Grady was named to the 2023-24 SoCon Preseason All-Conference Team after her efforts in the 2022-23 season. 

SCOUTING THE VALKYRIES

• Converse heads to Greensboro with a 4-6 overall record and 2-2 in the Conference Carolinas.
• The Valkyries most recently dropped a 87-53 contest at Francis Marion in Florence, S.C., ending a previous two-game win streak.
• Friday's contest at UNCG will be an exhibition game for Converse as the Valkyries compete in NCAA Division II.
• Sydney Wilson is 39^th nationally and leads the Conference Carolinas with a 54.7 field-goal percentage.
• Jordan Brown is 38^th nationally and leads the conference with 28 steals.
• Zariyah Washington stands out for Converse from behind the arc with 15 three-pointers this season.
• Wilson leads the team in scoring with 148 points and a 14.8 points per game average.
• Brown, Washington and Wilson were all named to the Conference Carolinas players to watch list prior to the start of the 2023-24 season.

SERIES HISTORY
UNCG and Converse have met once in program history. The Spartans claimed a 69-37 win over the Valkyries in the 2020-21 season in Fleming Gym. As a freshman that season, Cain was two rebounds shy of a double-double in the two team's last meeting with 15 points and eight boards.

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UP NEXT
The Spartans will close their non-conference slate in Fleming Gym by welcoming Livingstone on Thursday, Jan. 4 at 7 p.m. To purchase tickets for any home games for the  2023-24 UNCG women's basketball season, click here to learn more or call the UNCG Athletics Ticket Office at (336) 334-3250.