Charlotte hands UNCG its first loss; downs the Spartans 86-40

CHARLOTTE, NC – Charlotte got 22 points apiece from Sabrina Gregory and Whitney Hoey and UNCG had an ice cold shooting night as the 49ers raced to an 86-40 win at Halton Arena on Monday night.

Charlotte, which has advanced to the NCAA or NIT tournaments in each of the last four years, has now won 13 consecutive home games. Dating back to November 2001, Charlotte is 58-10 at Halton Arena.

UNCG shot just 25.4 percent from the floor for the game, including 0-for-12 from three-point range. Kemena Brooks led UNCG (2-1) with nine points off the bench. Meghan Chamberlain, Ashley Mullins and Jasmine Byrd each had six points. Byrd, a senior from Dumfries, VA, averaged 25.5 points in the first two games this season.

UNCG junior guard Kristen Boone had four points, which is her lowest point total in the last 49 games going back to her freshman year. Boone did not return to the game after picking up her fourth foul with more than 16 minutes to play.

UNCG (2-1) started off missing its first six shots from the field. The Spartans recorded their first field goal at the 15:50 mark when Boone dished a pass to Chamberlain who put it in for the Spartans’ first bucket of the game. UNCG rattled off two more buckets in the next 40 seconds to take an 8-6 lead and looked like it was ready to settle in.

However, that is the last time the Spartans would be on top. The 49ers went on a 26-6 run to take a 34-14 lead. Sabrina Gregory scored 14 of her 18 first-half points in the run. 

After shooting 60.7 percent in the first half on Friday night in their win over Campbell, the Spartans shot a mere 24.1 percent and 7-29 from the field in the first 20 minutes on Monday. UNCG’s first half efforts were also hampered by foul trouble. Boone picked up three fouls in the first stanza, while Irene Otamiri, KaLeah Latham and Kemena Brooks each picked up two.

The 49ers then opened up the second half on a 15-0 run, in the process of which Boone picked up her fourth foul, and UNCG never threatened after that.

“It is obvious that our team didn’t show up to play,” stated head coach Lynne Agee. “We weren’t prepared for the intensity of the game and I’m very disappointed with how we turned out.”

UNCG has now lost seven straight on Charlotte’s home court. The last time the Spartans beat the 49ers in Charlotte was way back on January 28, 1978. Charlotte leads the all-time series, 11-2.

The Spartans host the annual UNCG Thanksgiving Tournament beginning Friday. UNCG hosts Longwood at 1 pm and North Carolina A&T takes on Providence at 3 pm at Fleming Gym.

AGATE
CHARLOTTE 49ERS 86, UNC GREENSBORO 40

UNC GREENSBORO (2-1)
Brooks, Kemena 4-6 1-2 9; Chamberlain, Meghan 2-5 2-2 6; Mullins, Ashley 2-4 2-2 6; Byrd, Jasmine 2-13 2-2 6; Latham, Kaleah 2-5 0-2 4; Boone, Kristen 2-3 0-1 4; Dixon, Jasmine 0-2 2-4 2; Grimsley, Gini 1-4 0-0 2; Girstautaite, Agne 0-2 1-2 1; Frazier, Brittany 0-5 0-0 0; Ling, Ashley 0-1 0-0 0; Hyson, Lakiah 0-1 0-0 0; Otamiri, Irene 0-8 0-0 0. Totals 15-59 10-17 40.

CHARLOTTE 49ERS (3-1)
Gregory, Sabrina 9-12 3-4 22; Hoey, Whitney 8-12 4-4 22; Burgin, Danielle 5-6 0-0 10; Jones, Aysha 3-8 2-4 9; Ray, Traci 2-5 0-0 6; Spriggs, Ashley 3-4 0-0 6; Williams, Courtney 2-5 0-0 5; Cade, BJ 1-2 2-3 4; Smith, Tameka 1-2 0-0 2; Floyd, Erin 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 34-57 11-15 86.

Halftime: Charlotte 43-20. 3-point goals--UNC Greensboro 0-12 (Brooks, Kemena 0-1; Byrd, Jasmine 0-6; Latham, Kaleah 0-1; Grimsley, Gini 0-1; Otamiri, Irene 0-3), Charlotte 49ers 7-17 (Ray,Traci 2-4; Hoey,Whitney 2-5; Gregory,Sabrina 1-3; Jones,Aysha 1-3; Williams,Courtney 1-1; Floyd,Erin 0-1). Fouled out--UNC Greensboro-None, Charlotte 49ers-None. Rebounds--UNC Greensboro 29 (Byrd, Jasmine 4), Charlotte 49ers 45 (Burgin,Danielle 8). Assists--UNC Greensboro 6 (Boone, Kristen 3), Charlotte 49ers 20 (Hoey,Whitney 7). Total fouls--UNC Greensboro 20, Charlotte 49ers 18. Technical fouls--UNC Greensboro-Boone, Kristen, Charlotte 49ers-None. A-646

- UNCG -