ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The No.4 UNC Greensboro (UNCG) women's basketball team pulled out a nail biting overtime win over No. 5 Mercer, in a quarterfinal game in the Southern Conference (SoCon) basketball tournament on Thursday afternoon.
 
With the win, Head Coach Trina Patterson earned her 100th win with the Blue & Gold. The Spartans extended its win streak to six. 

Three Spartans scored double figures, including Akira Wiggins who had a team high 17 points, and Isys Grady and Nia Howard each had 14 points.

From Patterson
"We had great leadership. Our team battled. We never gave up. Mercer is a great team with elite scorers. In the month of February, we've been tested with these close games. Our goal for this game is W.I.N. What's important now? What's important now is to rebound. We had to get the ball to get on offense. The three-point shooting was not great, but that's okay."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Spartans held the lead for all four quarters until the Bears tied the game with five seconds left, 59-59.

UNCG went on an 8-0 run to start the game. The Bears reacted and went on an 10-4 run to close the deficit to three before the end of the frame, 16-13. 

Both teams went scoreless for almost two minutes after Howard had a fast break layup, just 22 seconds into the quarter, 18-13. UNCG had a lead of nine once in the frame, when Isys Grady drove one to the basket with 3:42 left, 27-18. Mercer's 8-2 run, where Enjulina Gonzalez scored all the points cut the deficit to three before heading to the locker room, 29-26. 
 
The two teams traded baskets in the first four minutes of the third quarter before UNCG's six-straight points extended its lead to 10, 39-29, at 5:10. UNCG ended the frame following a seven point advantage with a free-throw from Kennedy Simpson with eight seconds left.
 
Mercer fought hard in the fourth quarter, but UNCG responded each time, until a 7-1 run in favor of the Bears tied the game at 59. 
 
Mercer began overtime with two free-throws and a jumper, to take its first lead of the game, 59-55. UNCG fended off the Bears for the remainder of the frame scoring eight-straight points to take back the lead and secure the win, 63-59.

From Isys Grady
"We continue to grow and get better each year. Our new Spartans have all contributed so much in such a short amount of time. I'm so hopeful for the future."
 
BY THE NUMBERS

• UNCG was 19-for-27 for free-throws.
• The Spartans held the lead for 39:55.
• UNCG had 13 second chance points over Mercer's four
• Khlais Cain contributed eight points and nine rebounds.
• She also had a game-high five blocks, which is also a season high for her. 
• Wiggins had four blocks for a career-high.

RECORDS
UNCG: 16-13, 8-6 SoCon
MERCER: 12-16, 8-6 SoCon
 
UP NEXT
The Spartans will play the No. 1 seeded Wofford Terriers, on Friday March 3rd, with a tip off at 11 a.m. at Harrah's Cherokee Center.