PEMBROKE – The UNC Pembroke men's and women's basketball teams will open up the Peach Belt Conference portion of their 2016-17 schedules on Saturday when the Braves suit up to take on PBC West rival Clayton State in a 1:30 p.m. doubleheader at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court.

Fans are encouraged to wear their ugly holiday sweaters to campus as UNCP hosts its annual Christmas Toy Drive as well. Fans donating a new, unwrapped toy at the ticket gate will receive free admission.

Fans unable to attend the game can still follow the game for free via a live video stream on the UNCP Braves YouTube channel with Cameron Songer handling the play-by-play duties. The game can also be followed via a live statistics link as well.


 

UNC Pembroke Women (4-2, 0-0 PBC) vs. #15 Clayton State (8-1, 0-0 PBC)
Date & Tip Time	Saturday, December 17 at 1:30 p.m. EST
Location	Pembroke, N.C.. | Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court
Live Statistics	Stat Broadcast
Video	YouTube
Peach Belt Conference	Women's Basketball

 
WOMEN'S NOTES

• The Lady Braves (4-2) suffered a 62-56 setback to host Mount Olive Wednesday evening at Kornegay Arena. The loss snapped a modest two-game winning streak and was just the fourth loss in the 28-game series history for the Black & Gold. 
   
• Senior Jasmine Huntley put together her second double-double of the season Wednesday, racking up 15 points and 10 rebounds. She has poured in double-digit points in four of six contests this season and leads the squad with 9.8 points per game. Classmate Jonissa Monley hauls in a team-best 7.0 rebounds per game. Huntley ranks among the top 10 in the PBC in total assists (28), while Ebone Stevens is fourth in the league in 3-point percentage (48.1).
   
• UNCP ranks second among the 14 PBC institutions in 3-point field goals made per game (7.0) this season and also ranks third in 3-point field goal percentage (34.1). The Lady Braves are outscoring opponents in three of the four quarters, including a 91-70 margin in the second period.   
   
• Clayton State (8-1) is ranked No. 15 in the latest Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) poll and are winners of five straight. The Lakers lone setback was a 74-65 loss to Barton November 19. The Lakers and Lady Braves have one common opponent this season in Wingate. The Lakers downed the Bulldogs 73-72 in overtime November 12, while UNCP fell 65-52 to Wingate on November 27. 
   
• The Lakers lead the PBC in field goals made per game (30.2) and free throws attempted per game (27.6), while ranking second in points per game (80.8), field goals attempted per game (74.2), free throws made per game (16.8), steals per game (14.7) and blocks per game (5.7). Clayton State boasts two players who average double-digit points per contest in Tierra Johnson (17.8) and Andrea Benford (14.6). Johnson's average is good for fourth-best in the league. 
   
• Clayton State holds a 16-8 advantage in the all-time series, including a 78-60 win in Morrow, Georgia last season. The Lakers have won 10 of the last 11 meetings dating back to the 2007-08 season with the lone UNCP victory coming two seasons ago in Pembroke.

 

UNC Pembroke Men (6-2, 0-0 PBC) vs. Clayton State (5-4, 0-0 PBC)
Date & Tip Time	Saturday, December 17 at 3:30 p.m. EST
Location	Pembroke, N.C.. | Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court
Live Statistics	Stat Broadcast
Video	YouTube
Peach Belt Conference	Men's Basketball

 
MEN'S NOTES

• The Braves (6-2) have now won five of their last six contests after holding off a pesky Mount Olive squad, 79-71, on Wednesday evening in Kornegay Arena. The Braves scored 20 of their points off of 19 turnovers by the Trojans in that contest, and used a late 8-2 scoring spurt to ice the game.
   
• The Braves are just 9-15 in Peach Belt Conference openers and will look to open the league schedule with a win for the first time since the 2011-12 campaign. The Black & Gold is 10-14 in PBC home openers, but is 7-4 in those contests since the 2004-05 season.
   
• Newcomer Nigel Grant has put up double-figure scoring numbers in all eight games this season and has tallied a team-best 15.5 points an outing thus far into his junior campaign. Freshman Akia Pruitt has registered double-digit rebounding numbers in each of the last two outings, and recorded his first collegiate double-double with 14 points and 10 boards in Wednesday's win at Mount Olive.
   
• Saturday's contest will feature two of the league's best pick-pocketing teams. The Braves lead the league with 9.9 steals per game, while Clayton State trails closely behind with 8.9 strips an outing. The clubs are tied for third among the 14 league institutions with 13.5 offensive rebounds per game as well.
   
• Clayton State (5-4) has now captured two of its last three contests after Thursday afternoon's 83-57 home victory over Carver Bible (NCCAA). Clayton State took a 43-25 lead into intermission in that contest and shot nearly 47 percent from the field in the second half.
   
• Showcasing an extremely veteran starting lineup, Clayton State features an inside-outside punch in junior Dantez Bennamon (14.4 points/game) and senior Jaumonee Byrd (14.2). Bennamon has connected on 44.3 percent of his perimeter shots this season, while Byrd is shooting nearly 54 percent inside the arch and lead the Lakers with 7.6 rebounds an outing as well.
   
• Clayton State leads the all-time series, 21-5, and will ride a three-game series win streak into Pembroke on Saturday. Four of UNCP's five wins in the series have come at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court, but the Lakers have captured each of the last two matchups in Pembroke.