DAVIDSON, NC – Gini Grimsley's game-high 19 points led a trio of Spartans in double figures and UNC Greensboro shot a scorching 62.1 percent from the floor in the first half and hit a season-high nine 3-pointers to drop Davidson on Monday, 74-61.
The win was UNCG's second in a row after knocking off Samford, which shared the Southern Conference lead at the time, on Feb. 2.
Amanda Leigh, a Charlotte native with several fans in the crowd,
and Lakiah Hyson finished with 15 points each for the Spartans
(9-15, 6-9 Southern Conference), who got 15 from Grimsley in the
first half alone. Hyson just missed a double-double with nine
rebounds.
Mercedes Robinson and Ashley Lax had 13 points each to lead the
Wildcats (9-15, 8-7 SoCon). Robinson also pulled down a game-high
15 boards for the game's lone double-double.
The Spartans were 18-of-29 from the field in the opening frame, good for their best-shooting half of the season. UNCG trailed just once in the contest, at 5-3 after Lax's first 3-pointer, but rattled off a 15-6 run to seemingly take control.
Grimsley had eight points in the run, getting a layup to tie it and a 3 to put UNCG ahead for good, and capped the run with another 3.
The Wildcats would make it interesting, however, getting a pair of free throws and a layup from Mandy Halbersleben to cut it to three and a Julia Paquette jumper to make it 18-17 in favor of the Spartans with 9:29 to play in the opening frame.
UNCG answered with a 27-11 run to end the half to open up a 17-point lead at the break. It was Hyson leading the way this time, scoring nine points in the run, including seven straight for UNCG.
The Spartans would extend their advantage to 20 points after halftime, taking their largest lead of the night on yet another Grimsley 3 that made it 55-35 with 14:22 to play.
Davidson would gradually cut into the lead, trimming it to nine points on the strength of a 12-2 run that made it 68-59 with just under a minute to play.
UNCG would seal the win at the free throw line, though, with Hyson going 4-for-4 in the final 49 seconds to nail down the Spartans' second straight victory.
UNCG's nine 3s were its most since hitting nine against LaSalle on Dec. 19, 2007. Grimsley was 4-for-5 from 3-point range (7-for-11 overall), while Leigh was 3-for-11 and Hyson and Ashley Mullins were both 1-for-2.
Grimsley's four 3s give her exactly 100 for her career, making her just the fifth player in school history to accomplish that feat.
UNCG also matched its season high in assists with 18, with Hyson dishing off a season-high five.
The win avenges an overtime loss to the Wildcats in Greensboro in January.
"We're thrilled to come away with a win, obviously," UNCG head coach Lynne Agee said. "We put together a terrific first half were able to hold on in the second half for the victory. Gini played very well for us, she couldn't seem to miss. Amanda Leigh really stepped up for us tonight, and Hyson had another solid game. Now we just have to try to keep it going against Western on Saturday."
UNCG will host Western Carolina at 3 p.m. on Saturday in the Spartans' Pink Zone game, which will benefit the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund and UNCG's Relay for Life.
AGATE
UNC GREENSBORO 74, DAVIDSON 61
UNC GREENSBORO (9-15, 6-9 SoCon)
Gini Grimsley 7-11 1-2 19; Amanda Leigh 6-17 0-0 15; Lakiah Hyson
4-11 6-6 15; Agne Girstautaite 3-5 2-2 8; TaShama Banner 3-4 0-2 6;
Monique Floyd 2-7 2-5 6; Ashley Mullins 2-3 0-0 5; Kendra Smith 0-3
0-0 0; Sarah Folwell 0-0 0-0 0; Jazz Weaver 0-0 0-0 0; Agneta
Morkunaite 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 27-61 11-17 74.
DAVIDSON (9-15, 8-7 SoCon)
Mercedes Robinson 4-15 5-7 13; Ashley Lax 5-17 0-0 13; Mandy
Halbersleben 4-6 2-2 10; Julia Paquette 4-5 1-1 9; Alex Thompson
2-10 0-1 5; Kristen Johnsen 1-1 2-2 4; Amanda Ottaway 1-1 2-2 4;
Logan Hartman 1-1 0-0 2; Monica Laune 0-2 1-2 1. Totals 22-58 13-17
61.
UNC Greensboro................ 45
29 - 74
Davidson...................... 28 33
- 61
3-point goals--UNC Greensboro 9-20 (Gini Grimsley 4-5; Amanda Leigh 3-11; Ashley Mullins 1-2; Lakiah Hyson 1-2), Davidson 4-22 (Ashley Lax 3-11; Alex Thompson 1-8; Monica Laune 0-1; Mercedes Robinson 0-2). Fouled out—UNC Greensboro-None, Davidson-None. Rebounds--UNC Greensboro 39 (Lakiah Hyson 9), Davidson 39 (Mercedes Robinson 15). Assists--UNC Greensboro 18 (Lakiah Hyson 5), Davidson 12 (Alex Thompson 3; Monica Laune 3). Total fouls—UNC Greensboro 20, Davidson 22. Technical fouls--UNC Greensboro-None, Davidson-None. A-449
- UNCG -