GREENSBORO, NC – UNC Greensboro used its best defensive outing of the season to rout league leader Davidson, 78-55, in women's basketball action at Fleming Gymnasium on Saturday.
UNCG held Davidson to 30.3 shooting, its lowest shooting percentage of the season. The Spartans (14-7, 7-3) were led by Jasmine Byrd, who was 9-of-15 from the floor for 24 points. KaLeah Latham had her second consecutive double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds, tying her career-high for points. Kristen Boone also dished out a game-high nine assists.
“This was our best game on both ends of the floor,” head coach Lynne Agee said. “We were just solid from end line to end line and our transition was outstanding due to our terrific rebounding efforts on both ends. I was very pleased with the way this group responded and the effort that we put forth tonight."
Davidson was led by Tia Washington who had a team-high eight points and Katie Hamiliton who had eight rebounds. Hamilton, Davidson's leading scorer, was held to just 2-for-12 shooting from the floor.
Davidson (17-4, 8-2) began the second half with a sense of urgency, knocking down the first four buckets of the half before Byrd and Chamberlain got UNCG on the board to extend the lead to 43-24. Davidson used several quick fouls by UNCG to get to the line, converting on all four attempts at the charity stripe to cut the lead to 43-26.
The Spartans continued to be balanced on the offensive side of the ball, getting everyone involved to push the lead to 52-30 at the 12:22 mark.
Davidson didn’t give up but couldn’t cut the UNCG lead to less than 17 points in the second half as the Spartans went on to their third consecutive conference win. UNCG shot 50.8 percent for the game on 31-of-61 shooting from the floor and had 20 assists on the afternoon.
Both teams started the game in defensive mode by coming up empty on their first possessions. It was Latham that got the Spartans on the board first with a quick bucket in the paint. Byrd put the Spartans up 4-0 with a layup but Davidson was able to cut the lead to two-points with a short jumper.
The Wildcats found their rhythm and scored two unanswered buckets to take a 6-4 lead, but UNCG wouldn’t be discouraged and found Irene Otamiri on the inside to keep the game tied at six all at the 15:29 mark of the half. UNCG used its defense to collect four rebounds which led to two buckets on the other end, giving the Spartans an 11-6 lead with just under 14 minutes remaining in the half.
The Spartans continued to roll on the defensive end, stopping Davidson’s inside players and pulling down the defensive boards. Sparked by Byrd, UNCG went on a 14-0 run to take a 20-6 lead midway through the half. Davidson couldn’t get anything to fall, missing nine consecutive shots before a bucket by Washington stopped the four minute Wildcat drought.
A bucket by Washington on the inside got Davidson into double digits with 10 points but a jumper by Byrd and a layup by Brittany Frazier extended the Spartan lead to 24-10. The Spartans used a 14-9 run over the last seven minutes of the half to take a 39-19 lead into the break.
UNCG outrebounded Davidson 25-20 and held a 24-9 points in the paint advantage, while shooting 54.5 percent from the floor on 18-of-33 shooting in the first half.
The Spartans conclude their two-game homestand when they take on Southern Conference rival Chattanooga on Monday. The game is the first game of a doubleheader with the men’s team. Tip is set for 5 pm.
AGATE
UNCG 78, DAVIDSON 55
DAVIDSON (17-4, 8-2)
HOUSLEY, Honna 3-5 0-0 9; WASHINGTON, Tia 4-9 0-1 8; HEMERKA,
Danielle 3-9 0-0 6; PAQUETTE, Julia 2-3 2-4 6; ROBINSON, Mercedes
1-3 3-6 5; HALBERSLEBEN, Mandy 2-3 0-1 4; HAMILTON, Katie 2-12 0-0
4; THOMPSON, Alex 1-5 2-2 4; LAUNE, Monica 1-3 2-2 4; MITCHELL,
Jessica 0-11 3-4 3; GASSIE, Kelly 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 20-66 12-20
55.
UNCG (14-7, 7-3)
Byrd, Jasmine 9-15 2-2 24; Latham, Kaleah 9-14 0-1 18; Frazier,
Brittany 4-8 0-0 8; Dixon, Jasmine 1-1 6-6 8; Chamberlain, Meghan
3-6 0-0 6; Otamiri, Irene 2-5 0-0 4; Boone, Kristen 2-8 0-0 4;
Brooks, Kemena 0-1 4-4 4; Grimsley, Gini 1-3 0-0 2; Ling, Ashley
0-0 0-0 0; Hyson, Lakiah 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 31-61 12-13 78.
Halftime: UNCG 39-19 3-point goals--DAVIDSON 3-14 (HOUSLEY, Honna 3-5; WASHINGTON, Tia 0-1; HEMERKA, Danielle 0-1; HAMILTON, Katie 0-2; THOMPSON, Alex 0-2; MITCHELL, Jessica 0-2; GASSIE, Kelly 0-1), UNCG 4-10 (Byrd, Jasmine 4-7; Latham, Kaleah 0-1; Otamiri, Irene 0-2). Fouled out--DAVIDSON-None, UNCG-None.Rebounds--DAVIDSON 37 (HAMILTON, Katie 8), UNCG 44 (Latham, Kaleah 11). Assists--DAVIDSON 11 (HEMERKA, Danielle 3; WASHINGTON, Tia 3), UNCG 20 (Boone, Kristen 9). Total fouls--DAVIDSON 16, UNCG 13. Technicalfouls--DAVIDSON-None, UNCG-None. A-643
- UNCG -