PEMBROKE – The UNC Pembroke men's and women's basketball teams will open up Peach Belt Conference play on Saturday when the Braves make the trip to northeast Georgia to battle Young Harris in a 1:30 p.m. doubleheader inside the YHC Basketball Arena.
Fans can follow both games for free via a live audio stream on the UNCP Sports Network with
Trevor Williams handling the play-by-play duties. The game can also be followed via live video and statistics links provided by YHC as well.
WOMEN'S NOTES
- The Lady Braves (2-1) dropped their first game of the season on Sunday to sixth-ranked Wingate by a 73-56 score. UNCP led by as many as nine in the second quarter, but the Bulldogs outscored the Black & Gold 24-9 in the third quarter to pull away late. The Braves turned the ball over a season-high 22 times and shot just 37 percent from the field in the second half after a 52-percent clip in the first two quarters.
- Freshman Melanie Horne is averaging a team-best 11.5 points per game while hauling in 4.5 rebounds per tilt and redshirt-sophomore Tee Graham is pouring in 11.3 points per outing and dishing out a team-high 4.0 assists per game in her first season with the Braves. Four UNCP players average double-digit scoring, as Avery Locklear and Aliyah Farmer each contribute 10.7 points per contest.
- Famer ranks third in the PBC in field goal percentage at 66.7, while Locklear converts at a 50-percent mark from behind the arc which is also good for third in the league. Graham's 4.0 assists per game ranks sixth in the conference.
- UNCP leads the PBC in 3-pointers made per game (8.0) and ranks second in 3-point shooting percentage at 34.3. The Braves sit third in field goal percentage (43.0), 3-pointers attempted per game (23.3), free-throw percentage (72.7), offensive rebounds per game (15.0) and assists per game (16.0).
- The Braves have outscored opponents by a 216-212 margin through three games, including a 172-139 edge in quarters one, two and four. Opponents are outscoring the Black & Gold 73-44 in the third quarter.
- UNCP is 6-19 (.240) all-time in Peach Belt Conference openers, including a 4-9 mark in those games in the John Haskins era. The Braves are 1-7 in PBC openers that are played away from Pembroke with the only victory coming in 1998 against USC Upstate.
- The Black & Gold lead the all-time series 4-1 over the Mountain Lions, including wins in each of the last four seasons. The five contests between the sides have been decided by an average of 8.6 points, with the largest margin of victory coming in a 12-point Young Harris victory in the first meeting in 2013.
- Head coach John Haskins needs just two more victories to reach the 275-win mark for his career, which has spanned 23+ years across both men's and women's basketball at UNC Pembroke. Haskins has compiled a 273-354 (.435) record overall, including a 168-191 (.468) mark at the helm of the women's program.
ABOUT YOUNG HARRIS
- Young Harris (3-4) had won two-straight games before a 56-43 setback at the hands of Anderson on Tuesday. The Mountain Lions trailed just 42-41 entering the fourth quarter, but were outscored 14-2 in the final stanza by the Trojans. YHC shot just 23.9 percent from the field, which was a season low.
- The Mountain Lions are scoring a PBC-worst 58.9 points per game and also rank last in the league in field goals made per game (19.4), field goals attempted per game (53.6) and assists per game (10.0).
- Briana Bell and Ge'Naisha Robinson average 12.1 and 11.3 points per game, respectively, while Kaela Patrick is the most efficient long-range shooter for Young Harris and ranks fourth in the PBC in 3-point field goal percentage at 47.1 percent. Sarah Garner has logged a team-best 5.7 rebounds per outing.
- The Mountain Lions are averaging just over three fast break points per game and were held without a point on the fast break in a 67-53 loss to Emmanuel on Nov. 14. Young Harris registered a season-best six fast break points in a 59-43 win against Auburn Montgomery on Nov. 18.
- Saturday's contest with the Braves marks the second leg of a three-game home stand for Young Harris who has dropped four of its last five games inside the YHC Basketball Arena. The Mountain Lions were just 4-8 at home a season ago after posting a 9-5 home record in 2015-16.
MEN'S NOTES
- The Braves (3-1) stretched their non-conference home win streak out to 10 games with a convincing 90-72 victory over Mount Olive on Monday evening. UNCP went 33-for-44 from the free throw line and out-rebounded the Trojans, 53-28, in the victory.
- Forward Akia Pruitt is averaging a double-double with 13.6 points and 10.0 rebounds through five games, but the sophomore from Raleigh has also tallied 3.2 blocks and 1.4 assists per game as well. Frontcourt mate Nigel Grant has registered a team-leading 15.8 points per game, while also pulling down 7.2 boards an outing.
- UNCP is 11-14 (.440) all-time in Peach Belt Conference openers, including a 3-6 mark in those games during the Ben Miller era of the program. The Braves are just 7-18 (.280) in PBC road openers. UNCP won both its PBC opener and PBC road opener last season.
- The Black & Gold has registered six-straight wins against PBC opponents away from Pembroke, including two wins in the PBC Tournament in March.
- The Braves are 3-2 all-time against the Mountain Lions in a relatively young series that dates back to the 2013 campaign. UNCP is a perfect 3-0 against Young Harris in Pembroke, but has yet to record a win at the YHC Basketball Arena. The Braves have won home games against the Mountain Lions in each of the last two seasons.
- Head coach Ben Miller needs just 14 wins to match former Pembroke State legend Lacey Gane (1965-75) atop the program's all-time wins list. Miller has led the Braves to a 154-116 (.570) record in 9+ seasons as head coach. During that time, UNCP has made four trips to the NCAA Tournament (2010-11, 2012-13, 2014-15, 2016-17) and has reached the 20-win plateau three times.
ABOUT YOUNG HARRIS
- Young Harris (1-4) registered an 84-75 road victory over Barton in its season opener, but has dropped its last four outings including both ends of a home-and-home series with Claflin. The Mountain Lions have been plagued by turnovers through the early portion of their schedule, coughing up the ball an average of 18.4 times per game.
- Four of YHC's five starters average 12.2 points per game or better, including Antonio Wade who registers 16.8 points an outing despite shooting just 39.7 percent from the field. J.B. Charles is the top 3-point threat (12-for-27) for Young Harris, having attempted more than twice the amount of perimeter shots than any other player on the roster.
- The Mountain Lions have gotten just 15.0 points per game from its bench this season, including a season-low 11 bench points against both Barton and Mount Olive. Young Harris registered a season-best 22 bench points in a loss at Clark Atlanta on November 15.
- Saturday's contest with the Braves marks the second leg of a four-game home stand for Young Harris who has won 13 of its last 17 contests inside the YHC Basketball Arena. The Mountain Lions posted a 10-2 record at home last season, including an 8-2 mark against Peach Belt Conference foes.
