UNCG Women’s Basketball to Close Out 2023 by Hosting Converse
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) women’s basketball team will close out the 2023 calendar year by hosting Converse on Friday, Dec. 29 at 7 p.m. in Fleming Gym.
Game Info
Where: Greensboro, N.C. | Fleming Gym
When: Friday, Dec. 29 | 7 p.m.
Watch:| ESPN+
Tickets
LAST TIME OUT FOR UNCG
The Spartans most recently dropped a close battle at UNC Asheville, 72-71 on Thursday, Dec. 21 before Christmas break.
The contest featured 14 lead changes and nine tied scores.
Three Spartans scored double figures in the game, including Jayde Gamble with 18, Nia Howard with 15 and Ayanna Khalfani with 13.
Gamble led the team for a new career high of four three-pointers made and went 4-for-5 from behind the arc.
Howard’s 15 points was a season high. She went 7-for-12 in field goals in the game.
Khalfani led the team with five assists and three steals.
Khalis Cain paced the squad with six boards and two blocks.
UNCG posted 32 points in the paint.
SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
The Spartans come into Friday’s matchup with a 9-4 overall record.
UNCG is undefeated at home at 7-0. The last time the squad started off 7-0 at home was in the 2001-02 season.
Gamble is 16th in the country and first in The Southern Conference (SoCon) with 36 steals.
Cain ranks 29th nationally and second in the conference with a 3.8 offensive rebounds per game average.
Gamble paces the team with 156 points and a 12.0 points per game average. Isys Grady follows closely behind with 137 points and 10.5 points per game.
Khalfani leads the team with 43 dimes this season.
As a team, UNCG is top 50 nationally in two categories with 14.5 offensive rebounds per game and a 55.2 scoring defense average.
The Spartans lead the conference in four statistical categories: assist/turnover ratio (0.96), blocks per game (4.2), steals per game (8.4), and turnover margin (2.54).
UNCG currently stands in the third place in the SoCon, following Chattanooga and ETSU, respectively.
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 to the 2023-24 SoCon Preseason All-Conference Team after her efforts in the 2022-23 season.
SCOUTING THE VALKYRIES
Converse heads to Greensboro with a 4-6 overall record and 2-2 in the Conference Carolinas.
The Valkyries most recently dropped a 87-53 contest at Francis Marion in Florence, S.C., ending a previous two-game win streak.
Friday’s contest at UNCG will be an exhibition game for Converse as the Valkyries compete in NCAA Division II.
Sydney Wilson is 39th nationally and leads the Conference Carolinas with a 54.7 field-goal percentage.
Jordan Brown is 38th nationally and leads the conference with 28 steals.
Zariyah Washington stands out for Converse from behind the arc with 15 three-pointers this season.
Wilson leads the team in scoring with 148 points and a 14.8 points per game average.
Brown, Washington and Wilson were all named to the Conference Carolinas players to watch list prior to the start of the 2023-24 season.
SERIES HISTORY
UNCG and Converse have met once in program history. The Spartans claimed a 69-37 win over the Valkyries in the 2020-21 season in Fleming Gym. As a freshman that season, Cain was two rebounds shy of a double-double in the two team’s last meeting with 15 points and eight boards.
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UP NEXT
The Spartans will close their non-conference slate in Fleming Gym by welcoming Livingstone on Thursday, Jan. 4 at 7 p.m. 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