Cain Has Double Double In Loss Against Mercer
Greensboro, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) women’s basketball team fell to the Mercer Bears on Saturday, February 4 in a tough loss of 46-65.
Khalis Cain had a double-double of 11 rebounds and 10 points. Cain also had a game high of three blocks. Akira Wiggins led the Spartans with 12 points.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Wiggins started the Spartans off with a jump shot in the first 14 seconds, 2-0. Enjulina Gonzaiez from Mercer made back-to-back baskets to give Mercer the advantage, 4-2. Isys Grady’s jumper tied the game at four at 7:52. Mercer kept the lead for the remainder of the quarter holding a five-point advantage, 15-10,
The Bears climbed to a 15-point advantage with a jumper from Ashlee Locke at 4:45. The Spartans began to erase the deficit, first with a free throw from Cain at 3:49. This started a 17-2 run for the Spartans, where they eventually tied the game at 28 with a buzzer beater by Cain. For three minutes and 33 seconds, UNCG stopped Mercer from scoring.
The Spartans started off the third quarter with two free throws by Wiggins which took the lead for the first time since the first frame, 30-28. Jaron Dougherty had a jump shot to tie the game at 9:18, 30-30. Mercer then went on an eight-point scoring run to bring the advantage to 10 with a layup form Amoria Neal-Tysor, 5:55, 30-40. Wiggins ended the frame with a jumper to bring the deficit down to nine, 40-49.
Locke’s hook put the lead back to 11 points for the Bears, 51-40, with 9:35 left in the frame. UNCG cut the deficit to 10 twice in the frame, once at 9:06 with a free throw from Grady, and at 7:12 following a free throw from Cain. Neither team scored for 2:26 in the start of the fourth quarter and then again in the last 1:49 in the frame. Neither team scored for the final minute and 40 seconds, as the Bears split the series with a 65-46 win.
BY THE NUMBERS
UNCG outscored Mercer in the second quarter 18-13.
Cain had a game high of 11 rebounds.
Wiggins had a team high 12 points.
Cain had 10 points in the game and three blocks for a game high.
Emma-Nnopu, Wiggins, and Cain all had 2 steals for a team high.
RECORDS
UNCG: 10-13, 3-6 SoCon
Mercer: 10-12, 6-3 SoCon
UP NEXT
UNCG heads to Wofford for a match up on Thursday, February 9 at 7 p.m., then finishes the road trip against Furman on Saturday, February 11 at 11:30 a.m.
Courtesy of Kelly Couse
Strategic Communications Coordinator
UNC Greensboro