Spartans fall to Davidson, 73-59, in SoCon women’s basketball opener

DAVIDSON, NC – Davidson finished with four players in double-digits to top UNC Greensboro, 73-59, in Southern Conference women’s basketball action on Monday night at Belk Arena.

UNCG (4-3, 0-1 SoCon) was led by seniors Jasmine Byrd and Irene Otamiri, who each tallied 11 points. Senior KaLeah Latham finished with nine points and a game-high 10 rebounds, while junior Jasmine Dixon also scored nine points for the Spartans.

Tia Washington and Brynn Kelly led Davidson (7-2, 1-0 SoCon) with 12 points a piece. Mercedes Robinson finished with 11 points and Alex Thompson chipped in 10 for the Wildcats.

Tonight’s match marked the first time the Spartans opened up conference play on the road since the 2000-01 season and the fifth straight year UNCG dropped its SoCon opener. Last year, UNCG began conference play at home against Davidson. The Wildcats came away with the 69-57 victory.

UNCG opened up the second stanza on a 7-2 for the 42-34 advantage. The Wildcats made a run of their own, scoring nine unanswered points and grabbing the lead, 43-42. Davidson expanded its lead to 12 at the 4:09 minute mark and the Spartans never got any closer than six points the rest of the way.

In the first half, the Spartans found themselves down early at the 9-4 mark. However, Otamiri’s jumper at the 16:08 minute mark sparked a Spartan 12-2 run that gave UNCG the 16-11 advantage.

The Wildcats took the brief 27-26 lead on a Robinson layup with 3:18 left, before Byrd gave the Spartans the 29-27 lead on a three-pointer just 15 seconds later. Byrd scored five points in the final three minutes of the first half and UNCG went into the intermission with a 35-32 lead.

Davidson used 31 bench points to fuel its second half surge.

“We just fell a part and did not come to play,” stated head coach Lynne Agee. “Davidson is an intense and aggressive team and we did not have the intensity to match them. I am very disappointed in the lack of effort and focus.”

The Spartans take almost 2 weeks off before hosting Coastal Carolina on Dec. 16 in Fleming Gymnasium. Tip off set for 2 pm.

AGATE
DAVIDSON 73, UNC GREENSBORO 59

UNC GREENSBORO (4-3, 0-1 SoCon)
Byrd,Jasmine 5-15 0-0 11; OTAMIRI,IRENE 5-6 0-0 11; Latham,Kaleah 4-10 1-2 9; DIXON,JASMINE 2-5 5-6 9; Boone,Kristen 3-13 1-2 7; Grimsley,Gini 2-4 0-0 5; Ling,Ashley 1-1 1-1 3; Frazier,Brittany 1-2 0-1 2; Chamberlain,Meghan 0-4 2-4 2; Mullins,Ashley 0-1 0-0 0; Brooks,Kemena 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 23-63 10-16 59.

DAVIDSON (7-2, 1-0 SoCon)
KELLY, Brynn 5-6 2-2 12; WASHINGTON, Tia 4-8 4-6 12; ROBINSON, Mercedes 5-9 1-2 11; THOMPSON, Alex 1-2 7-8 10; HAMILTON, Katie 3-5 0-0 9; LAUNE, Monica 3-5 2-2 9; PAQUETTE, Julia 3-5 0-0 6; HEMERKA, Danielle 1-2 0-0 2; GASSIE, Kelly 0-0 2-4 2; MITCHELL, Jessica 0-6 0-0 0; HALBERSLEBEN, Mandy 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-48 18-24 73.

Halftime: UNCG, 35-32. 3-point goals--UNC Greensboro 3-17 (Grimsley,Gini 1-3; OTAMIRI,IRENE 1-1; Byrd,Jasmine 1-8; Boone,Kristen 0-3; Latham,Kaleah 0-2), Davidson 5-12 (HAMILTON, Katie 3-3; LAUNE, Monica 1-2; THOMPSON, Alex 1-1; HEMERKA, Danielle 0-1; MITCHELL, Jessica 0-3; WASHINGTON, Tia 0-1; KELLY, Brynn 0-1). Fouled out--UNC Greensboro-None, Davidson-None. Rebounds--UNC Greensboro 35 (Latham,Kaleah 10), Davidson 36 (ROBINSON, Mercedes 9). Assists—UNC Greensboro 11 (Boone,Kristen 3; OTAMIRI,IRENE 3), Davidson 22 (WASHINGTON, Tia 5). Total fouls—UNC Greensboro 18, Davidson 16. Technical fouls—UNC Greensboro-None, Davidson-None.

- UNCG -