PEMBROKE – Both sides scored just 13 points in the first quarter and the UNC Pembroke women's basketball squad missed nine-consecutive shots at one point, but the Braves turned up the heat in the second period to blow past visiting Belmont Abbey, 73-64, Friday afternoon at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court.

The victory marks the final non-conference contest of the season for the Braves (6-3), who will now turn their full attention to Peach Belt Conference (PBC) play. The Crusaders (5-4) are now winless in the past four meetings with the Black & Gold and run their current losing streak to three.

After knocking down just four buckets in the opening stanza (4-of-19), UNCP hit on nine attempts in the second and scored almost double the points with 25 on 9-of-20 shooting. The Braves opened up an 11-point advantage on a LaShonda Prichard jumper at the 9:38 mark of the third quarter, two of her nine points. However, the visitors rattled off 14 of the next 20 points to clip the lead to just three (46-43) with under four minutes to play in the frame.

With just over three minutes on the clock in the third, Avery Locklear buried one of her three deep balls to spark a 16-7 UNCP run that put the home squad up by 12, its largest lead of the game. Belmont Abbey did not get closer than seven in the last six minutes of the game.

Three Braves canned double-digit points, led by seniors Jonissa Monley and Jasmine Huntley with 12 each. Monley tacked on 10 rebounds for her third double-double of the season and Huntley dished out a game-high five assists. Locklear poured in 11 points and added four assists to tie a career high. Phoenicia Lawson came off the bench and grabbed 10 rebounds in 19 minutes, one shy of her career best. 

Each side hit on 35-percent of their shots from the field, but the Braves were more efficient from long range, rattling in 3-pointers at a 27.6-percent clip to the Crusaders' 26.1 percent.

UNCP turned 20 Belmont Abbey turnovers into 22 points and ran the floor well, racking up 11 fast-break points to the guests' four. The Braves turned the ball over a season-low 12 times, leading to just 11 Crusader points and led for 35:56 of the 40-minute contest.

The Braves return to action Monday when Augusta treks to Pembroke for a 5:30 p.m. PBC tilt on the front end of a women's-men's doubleheader. The Jaguars (4-3, 0-2 PBC) are 0-3 away from home this season and are one of four PBC teams winless in league play. Augusta leads the all-time series with UNCP 33-15, including the last three meetings.