PEMBROKE – Despite junior Jonissa Monley's 12 points and an additional 10 by senior Crystal Hicks, the visiting UNC Pembroke women's basketball team suffered a 63-51 Peach Belt Conference loss to Georgia College on Saturday afternoon inside the Centennial Center.
The Braves (4-5, 0-3 PBC) dropped their fourth contest in the last five games, while Georgia College (10-1, 2-0) extended its winning-streak to 10 games and remained perfect in conference action.
Money closed out the contest shooting 4-of-10 from the field and 80.0 percent from the foul line, while Hicks knocked down a pair of UNCP's four treys. Freshman Avery Locklear controlled a team-best six rebounds, while senior Mary Robinson added five boards and eight points. Despite out-rebounding the Bobcats, 39-33, the Braves shot just 26.4 percent from the field compared to 50.0 percent by Georgia College.
The Braves went 19-of-26 from the charity stripe as Georgia College committed 23 team fouls, while the Bobcats connected on just five free throws as UNCP committed 14 team fouls. The Black and Gold took advantage of 18 Bobcat turnovers to capitalize on 15 points, while Georgia College proved more physical inside the post as the team gathered 24 points compared to UNCP's 14.
Georgia College led for the entirety of the game and held a 20-point lead with less than four minutes in the third period, but UNCP closed the gap in the final 10 minutes by out-shooting the Bobcats 19-13. The Bobcats set up the early lead in the first period and entered into the half with a 36-21 lead which proved to be too much for the Braves to overcome.
Kadesha Gibbs totaled a game-high 16 points as she registered 7-of-9 shooting from the field, while LaRice Walker and Mckenna Rushton added double-digit scoring with 14 and 11 points, respectively. Rushton also led the team in rebounding with six, while Gibbs pulled down five.
The Braves will take a break for the holidays and return to the on New Year's Eve for a 2 p.m. battle against Belmont Abbey (3-5) inside the Wheeling Center.
