GREENSBORO, NC – Four Spartans scored in double figures as UNC Greensboro defeated Catawba, 94-55, in an exhibition women’s basketball contest Friday night at Fleming Gymnasium.
All 13 Spartans to see action hit the scoring column as UNCG jumped out to an early lead and never looked back. The Spartans led by as many as 41 in the final minute.
Meghan Chamberlain had a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds and Kristen Boone nearly had one, as well, with 17 points, nine assists and five steals. Boone, a junior from Upper Marlboro, MD, led the nation in steals as a freshman and was third in the country last year.
Jasmine Byrd added 10 points and Jasmine Dixon chipped in 12 for UNCG. Brittany Higgins led Catawba with 18 points on 7-of-15 shooting from the field.
The Spartans, the runners-up in the Southern Conference a year ago who return all five starters for this season, scored the first 11 points of the contest and coasted from there. Catawba got back to within five in the first half (16-11), but the Spartans converted 14 first-half Catawba turnovers into 18 points to take a 43-29 lead into the intermission. Nine different players hit the scoring column for UNCG in the first half with senior Jasmine Byrd and junior Jasmine Dixon leading the way with eight points apiece.
The lead hit 20 when junior Kristen Boone knocked down a three-pointer from the right wing with 16:31 to play to give the Spartans a 52-32 advantage. The three-pointer put Boone, a Southern Conference Player of the Year candidate, into double figures for the night.
The lead continued to stretch from there as UNCG showed why it is the pre-season favorite in the Southern Conference this season. Sophomore Gini Grimsley’s three-pointer with 7:54 to play gave UNCG a 30-point lead, 72-42.
UNCG opens the regular season on November 12 when the Spartans host cross-state rival UNC Wilmington at 2 pm.
AGATE
UNCG 94, Catawba 55
CATAWBA
Higgins, 7-15 4-4 18; Howard, 3-7 1-1 7; Foster, 1-4 3-6 5;
Muldrow, 2-5 0-0 4; Bartlett, 2-4 0-2 4; Easter, 1-2 2-2 4;
Whitley, 1-4 0-0 3; Baxter, 1-1 0-0 3; Hampton, 0-4 3-4 3; LoSauro,
1-5 0-0 2; Childs, 1-1 0-0 2; Tackett, 0-1 0-0 0; Colombo, 0-4 0-0
0; Clark, 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 20-58 13-19 55.
UNCG
Boone, 5-8 6-8 17; Chamberlain, 4-7 6-8 14; Dixon, 5-10 1-2 12;
Byrd, 4-7 0-0 10; Latham, 4-9 0-0 8; Frazier, 3-7 0-0 6; Brooks,
2-7 2-2 6; Grimsley, 2-4 0-2 5; Mullins, 2-2 0-0 5; Otamiri, 2-5
0-0 5; Girstautaite, 1-2 1-2 3; Ling, 1-1 0-0 2; Hyson, 0-0 1-2 1.
Totals 35-69 17-26 94.
Halftime: UNCG 43-29. 3-point goals--CATAWBA 2-9 (Baxter, Andrell 1-1; Whitley, Brooke 1-2; Easter, Ingrid 0-1; Hampton, Hillary 0-2; LoSauro, Sicilia 0-2; Clark, Cameron 0-1), UNCG 7-13 (Byrd,Jasmine 2-4; Boone,Kristen 1-1; Otamiri,Irene 1-3; Mullins,Ashley 1-1; Grimsley,Gini 1-1; Dixon,Jasmine 1-2; Brooks,Kemena 0-1). Fouled out--CATAWBA-None, UNCG-None. Rebounds--CATAWBA 28 (Foster, Tameka 10), UNCG 51 (Chamberlain,Meghan 10). Assists--CATAWBA 14 (Colombo, Gia 8), UNCG 28 (Boone,Kristen 9). Total fouls--CATAWBA 17, UNCG 15. Technical fouls--CATAWBA-None, UNCG-None.
- UNCG -