| THE BASICS |
SCORE: Wingate 70, UNC Pembroke 58
RECORDS: UNC Pembroke 0-1, Wingate 1-0
LOCATION: Pembroke, N.C. (Lumbee Bank Guaranty Bank Court) |
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| HOW IT HAPPENED |
| 1ST QUARTER |
| The game began with the Bulldogs establishing dominance through a series of successful plays, starting with a layup by Kylie Chavis at 9:34. They quickly extended their lead to 10-0 with fast-break points and layups, including contributions from Laney Beale and Kyleigh Bacon. The Braves called a timeout at 7:15, trailing significantly. Tiana Spann finally put the home team on the board with a layup at 7:02, but the Bulldogs' offensive efforts, including a three-pointer from Alexandra Merceron at 5:02, kept them ahead. Despite a late three-pointer by Natalie Evington, the Braves ended the quarter trailing 25-10. |
| 2ND QUARTER |
| Wingate led a productive second quarter with strong performances from beyond the arc, including a three-pointer by Maggie Shorma at 8:12 and Bree Hughes at 7:23, pushing their lead to 33-15. UNCP's Bre'Asia Washington and Keziyah Sanders responded with 3-pointers of their own, trimming the deficit to 33-18 and 36-21, respectively. Despite the Wingate aggressive play in the paint, highlighted by Bacon's layup and free throw at 6:47, the Braves capitalized on a late three-pointer by Abby Sheets with 8 seconds remaining, closing the quarter with a 40-28 scoreline in favor of the Bulldogs. Both teams displayed balanced contributions off the bench, each scoring five points from their reserves. |
| 3RD QUARTER |
| Tiana Spann initiated a strong start for the Braves in the third quarter with a layup at 9:36, followed by an Abby Sheets 3-pointer from an Anastasia Sinclair assist at 9:24, cutting the deficit to seven points. Despite the early momentum, Bacon responded quickly with a layup at 8:41 for the Bulldogs. Anastasia Sinclair added a fast-break layup at 8:58, prompting a timeout from the visitors. Natalie Evington's two 3-pointers, both assisted by Sinclair, kept the home team within striking distance. However, Wingate maintained a steady lead, finishing the quarter ahead 58-51, thanks to contributions from Merceron and Chavis. |
| 4TH QUARTER |
| The Bulldogs secured a 70-58 victory over the Braves, highlighted by efficient free-throw shooting and defensive prowess. The visitors capitalized on turnovers, scoring six points off miscues, while also controlling the boards with 11 rebounds to the Braves' nine in the fourth quarter. Bacon was instrumental in extending the Bulldogs' lead early in the quarter with two free throws and a layup to push the score to 62-51. Despite a late effort by the Braves, including a three-pointer by Sheets with 25 seconds remaining, the Bulldogs maintained their advantage through consistent defensive efforts and timely scoring. |
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| INSIDE THE BOX SCORE |
+ Tiana Spann finished with a career-high 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting. Spann flirted with a double-double with seven rebounds, while also adding two steals, one block and one assist.
+ Natalie Evington chipped in 12 points with four triples in 28 minutes of work.
+ Newcomer Abby Sheets turned in 11 points and knocked down a trio of three-pointers. |
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| NOTABLES |
+ UNC Pembroke scored 26 points in the paint and picked up 17 points from 16 Wingate turnovers.
+ The Black & Gold outscored Wingate 23-18 in the third quarter.
+ UNCP finished the game shooting 38.7 percent from the field. |
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| UP NEXT |
| The Braves will host No. 8 Coker on Saturday to close out the Conference Challenge. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court. Tickets can be purchased at UNCPBraves.com/Tickets. |
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| STAY CONNECTED |
| Follow UNCP Women's Basketball on Twitter and Instagram and "Like" UNCP Women's Basketball on Facebook. |
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| BACK THE BRAVES |
| Fans can help support the UNC Pembroke Women's Basketball program by joining the Braves Club. To find out more information about the Braves Club, visit UNCPBraves.com/BravesClub or email braves.club@uncp.edu. |
