Women’s Basketball to Close Out Homestand with NC Central Thursday
GREENSBORO, NC – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) women’s basketball team is set to host North Carolina Central on Thursday, Dec. 14 at 7 p.m. in Fleming Gym.
Where: Greensboro, N.C. | Fleming Gym
When: Thursday, Dec. 14 | 7 p.m.
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LAST TIME OUT FOR THE SPARTANS
UNCG most recently collected a 52-47 win over Elon in the Greensboro Coliseum on Sunday.
Prior to Sunday’s contest, the Spartans last competed in the Greensboro Coliseum on Dec. 22, 2012, in a 93-63 loss to No. 23 Florida State.
With Sunday’s win, the Spartans are 11-5 at the Greensboro Coliseum, according to the UNCG women’s basketball record book.
Khalis Cain recorded a double-double in the game after leading both teams with 15 points and 11 boards.
Isys Grady followed closely behind with 13 points.
Jayde Gamble and Ayanna Khalfani recorded four dimes a piece, while Gamble led the way with four steals.
The Spartans had six fast break points to Elon’s zero.
UNCG totaled 14 assists, while Elon had seven.
SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
The Spartans come into Thursday’s matchup with a 7-3 overall record.
UNCG is off to its best overall start since the 2000-01 season. That team started things off 10-3 overall.
The Spartans remain undefeated at home (6-0), for their best home start since the 2001-02 season, when UNCG started off 7-0.
The Blue & Gold stand out nationally in two statistical categories. The team is 24th in three-point defense and 28th in scoring defense.
UNCG currently leads The Southern Conference (SoCon) with a 1.04 assist/turnover ratio, an 8.8 steals per game average, a 3.80 turnover margin, and a 16.70 average of turnovers forced per game.
Gamble is ranked 11th nationally with 31 steals on the season and is 23rd nationally with a 3.10 steals per game average.
Cain is second in the SoCon and 22nd nationally with a 4.0 offensive rebounds per game average. She leads the Spartans with 83 total boards this season.
Gamble currently leads the Spartans with 113 points this season.
Khalfani stands out on the team with eight blocks and 34 assists.
The Spartans were picked to finish sixth in the 2023-24 SoCon Preseason Coaches’ Poll, trailing ETSU, Chattanooga, Mercer, Wofford and Furman and coming in front of Samford and Western Carolina.
Grady was named the 2023-24 SoCon Preseason All-Conference Team after her efforts in the 2022-23 season.
SCOUTING THE EAGLES
North Carolina Central heads to Greensboro with a 3-6 overall record.
The Eagles have played on the road in their last four contests and dropped all four.
Most recently, North Carolina Central fell in a close battle at Jacksonville (70-67).
The Eagles have competed against two power-five conference schools this season at Duke and at Washington.
The squad faced SoCon foe, Wofford on Nov. 14 in an 82-52 loss in Spartanburg and will take on two other SoCon opponents this season in UNCG and Furman.
The Eagles lead the MEAC in six statistical categories: assists per game (13.0), field-goal percentage (38.2), free-throw attempts per game (18.44), scoring offense (67.3), turnover margin (6.00), and turnovers forced per game (24.67).
Kyla Bryant is ranked third nationally with one triple-double this season.
Jada Tiggett leads the MEAC with a 1.43 blocks per game average.
Morgan Callahan is the conference leader with a 9.1 rebounds per game average.
Kimeira Burks stands out for the Eagles from behind the arc. She is 21st nationally and leads the conference with 76 three-point attempts this season. In addition, she sits atop the conference with a 30.3 three-point percentage, 23 made three-pointers and a 2.56 three-pointers per game average.
Burks was selected to the Preseason All-MEAC First Team, while Callahan and Aniya Finger were both voted Preseason All-MEAC Third Team.
SERIES HISTORY
The Spartans stand at 7-1 in the overall series against Eagles. UNCG’s only loss to North Carolina Central was the two teams most recent meeting in Durham, N.C. North Carolina Central defeated UNCG, 66-57 on Dec. 12, 2018.
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UP NEXT
The Spartans will begin a two-game road stretch beginning with a contest at USC Upstate on Monday, Dec. 18 at 11 a.m. in Spartanburg, S.C. To purchase tickets for any home games for the 2023-24 UNCG women’s basketball season, click here to learn more or call the UNCG Athletics Ticket Office at (336) 334-3250.
Courtesy of Emma White
Strategic Communications Coordinator
UNC Greensboro