GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) women's basketball team dismantled the Mercer Bears, 76-59, in The Southern Conference (SoCon) action on Saturday afternoon in Bodford Arena.
 
Saturday's victory improves UNCG's win streak to seven and makes the squad 10-1 over the past 11 games.
 
The win over the Bears also marks 27-straight home wins for the Spartans and makes the team 38-1 over the past two seasons.
 
Saturday's triumph is the third consecutive year that UNCG has started out 2-0 in SoCon play. In addition, it is the fourth-straight win over the Bears.
 
Four Spartans reached double-figures in the contest with Tasia Johnson leading the way with a new career-best 18 points and going 5-for-5 from behind the arc. Jaila Lee followed closely behind with 15 points. Ciara Harris added 10 points, while Makiah Asidanya chipped in 10 points.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Back-to-back jumpers from Levine and Asidanya secured a 4-0 lead for UNCG at 8:04, never allowing Mercer to lead in the contest. The Spartans continued to maintain the advantage, going 4-for-5 from behind the arc in the first frame. A 5-0 Mercer scoring run cut the Bears' deficit to two, 14-12, before Johnson drained a triple to put UNCG back up by five at 1:41, 17-12. Four consecutive Spartan free throws gave UNCG a 21-12 advantage at the end of the quarter.
 
UNCG continued to go off from three-point land in the second quarter, shooting 67 percent in the stanza, bringing its total to eight triples in the first half. A three-pointer from Johnson with 33 seconds on the clock secured a 15-point cushion, the biggest lead for the Spartans in the first half, 41-26. Mercer's Nahawa Diarra secured the final basket of the first half, but the Spartans held a 41-28 advantage heading into the locker room.
 
Mercer got the first two points in the third frame before UNCG notched a 9-2 run that featured a three-point play from Lee and two three-pointers from Johnson for a 50-32 advantage at 8:07. With the Spartans holding a 61-40 lead, layups from Kristina Rakotobe and Asidanya granted UNCG with its largest lead of the game at the 30-second mark, 65-40. The Bears got the final two points of the quarter, but UNCG maintained the 65-42 lead in the huddle.
Mercer was able to outscore UNCG, 17-11, in the final frame, but it wouldn't be enough to pull away from the Spartans' lead. The matchup was concluded with the Bears going 2-for-2 at the free throw line, but the Spartans walked away comfortably with the 76-59 victory.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Rylan Moffitt led the contest with eight boards.
• Jeni Levine and Johnson recorded four assists apiece.
• Leyla Minor led the Spartans with four steals.
• Eight Spartans found the scoring column in the contest.
• UNCG bested Mercer in three-pointers (11-1), points off turnovers (24-19), rebounds (36-31), second chance points (13-9), bench points (24-18), fast break points (16-6), steals (11-5) and assists (19-6).
• Mercer led the way in points in the paint (28-26) and blocks (3-2).

RECORDS
UNCG: 12-5, 2-0 SoCon
MER: 11-6, 1-1 SoCon

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UNCG WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TICKET INFORMATION 
To secure your tickets for UNCG women's basketball home games click HERE for options including single games, group discounts and full season ticket options. All (14) home games will be played on campus in Bodford Arena. UNCG faculty/staff and students are free with their ID. To learn more about upcoming ticket promotions or to purchase over the phone call the UNCG Ticket Office at 336-334-3250 or email admoore10@uncg.edu.
 
UP NEXT
The Spartans will begin their SoCon road slate next week, traveling to South Carolina, to face Furman on Thursday, Jan. 15 at 7:00 p.m. in Timmons Arena and Wofford on Saturday, Jan. 17 at 2:00 p.m. in Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium.