SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) women's basketball team dropped its first game of the 2024 Puerto Rico Clasico on Thursday against UTSA, 62-53, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, at the Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum. 
 
Jayde Gamble and Jaila Lee led the Spartans in scoring with 14 and 10 points, respectively.

HOW IT HAPPENED
At 9:23, the Roadrunners picked up the first point of the game at the charity stripe. After Lee recorded a layup and UTSA added two more points, the Spartans notched a 7-0 run to take a 9-4 lead. UNCG held its lead until USTA's Jordyn Jenkins launched a three-pointer for a 15-14 lead at 2:43. Kristina Rakotobe scored a free throw as the final basket of the first quarter, but the Roadrunners held a 19-15 lead at the break.
 
The second frame continued to be closely matched, but UTSA held the slight advantage, 16-12. Maya Linton tallied the buzzer-beater three-pointer to head to the locker room with UTSA having an eight-point lead, 25-27.
 
The Roadrunners continued their stride in the third frame by starting off with five unanswered points. A jumper from Nia Howard gave UNCG its first points of the second half at 5:20 (40-29). Jenkins added four more points for the Roadrunners to close out the third quarter on top, 48-35.
 
After Jenkins gave the Roadrunners their biggest lead of the game with a layup at 8:53 (52-35), the Spartans tallied an 8-3 run to pull back within 12 (55-43). Later at 3:10 with UNCG down 61-50, Nya Smith tallied six consecutive points to cut the deficit to eight (61-53). UTSA's Nina De Leon Negron added one last free throw to give the Roadrunners the 62-53 win.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Gamble and Smith led the Spartans with four rebounds apiece.
• Gamble paced the squad with four assists.
• Lee and Cain led the way with two steals each.
• The Spartans outmatched the Roadrunners in fast break points (10-6) and bench points (23-15).

 
RECORDS
UNCG: 6-2
UTSA: 5-1
 
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UNCG Women's Basketball Ticket Information 
To secure your tickets for UNCG women's basketball home games click HERE for options including single games, group discounts and full season ticket options.  All 14 home games will be played on campus in Fleming Gymnasium.  UNCG faculty/staff and students are free with their ID. To learn more about upcoming ticket promotions or to purchase over the phone call the UNCG Ticket Office at 336-334-3250. 
 
UP NEXT
The Spartans will close out the 2024 Puerto Rico Clasico by taking on Le Moyne tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. ET/12:00 p.m. AT in Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum.