GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) women's basketball team will begin The Southern Conference (SoCon) slate by hosting Samford on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. and Mercer on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. inside Bodford Arena.
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE SPARTANS
- UNCG concluded its non-conference schedule with a 94-30 win over Livingstone on Saturday, Jan. 3 in Bodford Arena.
- The win over the Bears marked 25-straight home wins for the Spartans and makes the team 36-1 over the past two seasons.
- UNCG notched 15 three-pointers in the contest, tying the UNCG women's basketball program record that was previously set on Dec. 21, 2022, against Virginia University of Lynchburg.
- With her 10 rebounds, Rylan Moffitt reached the 500 career rebounds milestone in her DI career. She achieved 395 rebounds at Appalachian State, while the other 105 have been recorded this season as a Spartan.
- Six Spartans reached double-figures in the contest with Jeni Levine leading the way with 17 points.
- Makiah Asidanya followed closely behind with 15 points after matching her career-best five three-pointers.
- Leyla Minor chipped in 13 points, while Joelle Davis and Ciara Harris notched 12 points apiece.
- Moffitt rounded out the double-figure scoring with 10 points, recording her seventh career double-double and fourth of the season adding in her 10 boards.
ABOUT THE SPARTANS
- UNCG concluded the non-conference slate 10-5 overall.
- Mercer and UNCG both finished the non-conference with a 10-5 mark, for the best in the league.
- The Spartans are on a five-game winning streak and are 8-1 over the last nine games.
- The Blue & Gold are pacing The Southern Conference (SoCon) in assist/turnover ratio (1.00), rebound margin (6.7), scoring defense (52.2), scoring margin (16.9) and turnover margin (14.9).
- The squad's 52.2 scoring defense stands out at fifth nationally.
- UNCG is second in the SoCon in eight statistical categories: bench points per game (15.0), field goal percentage defense (36.8), free throw percentage (74.5), offensive rebounds per game (14.6), steals per game (10.5), three-point attempts per game (25.2), three-pointers per game (7.9) and turnovers forced per game (20.27).
- Johnson paces the SoCon with a 2.30 assist/turnover ratio.
- Levine leads the league in field goal attempts (198), points (236) and points per game (15.7).
- Asidanya leads the conference with a 40.7 three-point percentage.
- Levine (15.7) and Asidanya (11.8) continue to pace the Spartans in double-figure scoring this season.
- UNCG is leading its opponents in several statistical categories: points (69.1-52.2) field goals (24.9-19.0), three-pointers (7.9-4.8), free throws (11.5-9.4), rebounding (38.6-31.9), assists (15.0-9.1), assist/turnover ratio (1.0-0.5), points off turnovers (20.4-11.1), steals (10.5-7.7) and blocks (3.3-3.0).
- Asidanya's career-best 22 points at Auburn this season led her to be named SoCon Player of the Week in the first round of weekly awards on Nov. 11.
- UNCG was voted to finish second with two first-place votes in the SoCon Preseason Coaches' Poll.
- Jaila Lee and Asidanya were selected to the SoCon Preseason All-Conference Team after both of their stellar performances last season.
- The reigning SoCon Coach of the Year, Head Coach Trina Patterson is in her 10th year with the Blue & Gold this season.
- The 2025-26 roster features five returners and eight newcomers. Four of the newcomers are freshmen, while the other four are transfer students.
- UNCG comes into the 2025-26 season after a historic 2024-25 campaign.
- The Spartans earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament last season for the first time since 1998. The team defeated Chattanooga, 64-57, in The 2025 SoCon Championship, earning an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
- The team fell to No. 1 USC in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament at the Galen Center in Los Angeles, California.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
- Samford finished up its non-conference schedule 7-10 overall.
- The team most recently defeated Fisk University, 70-54, on Friday, Jan. 2 at Pete Hanna Center to conclude the non-conference.
- The Bulldogs stand out from behind the arc at sixth nationally in three-point attempts per game (30.2) and 21st in three-pointers game (9.1).
- Brana Rivera leads the nation in three-point attempts (169), three-pointers (60) and three-pointers per game (3.53).
- Kaylee Yarbrough (12.9) and Rivera (11.9) are pacing the Bulldogs in double-figures this season.
- Aubrey Blankenship and Carla Baguda stand out defensively with 5.0 rebounds per game and 1.4 blocks per game, respectively.
- Jada Knight leads team with a 2.8 assists per game average and 1.2 steals per game.
- The Bulldogs were picked to finish sixth in the SoCon Preseason Coaches' Poll.
- Redshirt senior Emily Bowman was selected to 2025-26 Preseason All-SoCon Team.
- Head Coach Matt Wise is in his first season with the Bulldogs.
- The Bulldogs concluded the 2024-25 season 12-19 overall and 7-7 in the SoCon.
- The team fell to Wofford, 58-56, in the first round of the SoCon Tournament to wrap up last season.
SERIES HISTORY VS THE BULLDOGS
The Spartans trail the overall meetings against the Bulldogs at 27-10, but UNCG took both meetings against the Bulldogs last year. First, with a 78-66 win in Greensboro on Feb. 1, 2025, and then with a 71-59 victory on Feb. 27, 2025, in Birmingham.
SCOUTING THE BEARS
- Mercer comes into SoCon play with a 10-5 overall mark on the non-conference campaign.
- The Bears wrapped up their non-conference schedule with a 66-55 win over Auburn Montgomery on Friday, Jan. 2 inside Hawkins Arena.
- Mercer is pacing the SoCon with a 33.3 three-point percentage.
- Four Bears are leading the team in double-figures: Nahawa Diarra (12.0), Ariana Bennett (11.8), Abigail Holtman (11.1) and Micah O'dell (10.0).
- Holtman leads the team with 27 three-pointers this season.
- Diarra is leading the team with a 5.3 rebounds per game average.
- Talia Kemp paces the Bears with a. 3.3 assists per game average and 1.9 steals per game.
- Bennett leads the team by averaging 1.2 blocks per game.
- Mercer was picked to finish last in the SoCon Preseason Coaches' Poll.
- Bennett was named to the Preseason All-Conference Team ahead of the 2025-26 season.
- Head Coach Michelle Clark-Heard is in her second season with the Bears and led the team to an 8-22 overall record last year.
- Mercer's 2024-25 season was concluded with a 68-47 loss to the Chattanooga Mocs in the round one of the SoCon Tournament.
- Mercer will face Western Carolina on Thursday, Jan. 8 at 6:00 p.m. in Cullowhee, North Carolina, before coming to Greensboro on Saturday.
SERIES HISTORY VS THE BEARS
Mercer leads the overall series against UNCG at 18-8. However, the Spartans claimed both matchups against the Bears last season, 70-37, in Greensboro on Jan. 30, 2025, and 76-37 on March 1, 2025, in Macon.
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FLEMING GYMNASIUM RENAMED BODFORD ARENA
- On Saturday, Nov. 8, Fleming Gymnasium, home to UNCG volleyball, women's basketball and men's basketball was renamed to Bodford Arena.
- This historic moment for the department was made possible through a transformational $2 million gift from the Bodford family.
- This generous support represents the largest unrestricted gift in the history of UNCG Athletics, as well as the first associated with naming a competitive athletic facility.
- The University is already familiar with the Bodford name - the Bodford Family Speed, Strength & Conditioning Center was dedicated in October 2020.
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.
