ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) women's basketball team defeated No. 3 Wofford in The Southern Conference (SoCon) Semifinals on Friday to clinch a spot in the SoCon Championship on Sunday, March 10.
 
Friday's win over the Terriers marks the seventh time the Spartans have made it to the SoCon Championship overall. UNCG met Chattanooga three out of those six times. UNCG has claimed one SoCon Championship title in program history, back in 1998.

The Spartan's SoCon Semifinal win over Wofford marks Head Coach Trina Patterson's third season with 20 or more wins at UNCG. 
 
Jayde Gamble led the Spartans with a new career high of 28 points in Friday's win over the Terriers, while Nia Howard followed closely behind with a season high of 18 points.

HOW IT HAPPENED
A three-point play from Khalis Cain started off the game to give UNCG the 3-0 lead. The Spartans held this lead until the Terriers recorded an 8-2 run (10-8). Gamble tied it up again off a jumper at 6:03, but Wofford quickly responded with five unanswered points for the 15-10 lead. UNCG notched an 8-2 run to regain the lead (18-10). A three-pointer from Gamble ended the first frame with the Spartans on top, 21-19.
 
Four points from Gamble started off the second period, giving UNCG the 25-19 lead. The Spartans were able to hold the advantage for the remainder of the first half. Gamble closed out the second quarter at the charity stripe for the Spartans to hold the 32-30 lead heading into the locker room.
 
Wofford's Indiya Clarke started off the third quarter with a jumper to tie the game (32-32). Howard responded behind-the-arc for UNCG to come back on top (35-32). The Terriers sparked a 5-0 run to take the 37-35 lead. However, a jumper from Gamble sparked an 8-0 run for the Spartans to take the 43-37 lead and hold it for the rest of the game. A three-point play from Gamble closed out the third frame with the Spartans on top, 53-43.
 
UNCG came out of the huddle to notch a 7-2 run for its biggest lead of the game over the Terriers (60-45). With the Spartans up 64-55, Wofford was able to pull together five unanswered points to come back within range (64-60). However, it wouldn't be enough to outlast the Spartans. UNCG closed out the contest with three consecutive free throws for the 72-62 win.  

BY THE NUMBERS

• Isys Grady was one point shy of a double-double after leading the Spartans with 14 boards and adding nine points.
• Gamble paced the team with four assists and three steals.
• Khalfani led the way with three blocks.
• The Spartans posted 15 second chance points to the Terriers' two.
• UNCG had five points off the bench, while Wofford had one.

RECORDS
UNCG: 21-10, 8-6, SoCon
Wofford: 17-13, 8-6, SoCon
 
UP NEXT
The Spartans will face No. 1 Chattanooga in the SoCon Championship on Sunday, March 10 at noon at the Harrah's Cherokee Center in Asheville, N.C.

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