GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) women's basketball team will enter The Southern Conference (SoCon) Tournament as the No. 1 seed, facing No. 8 Western Carolina in a quarterfinal matchup on Thursday at 11:00 a.m. in Asheville, North Carolina, at Harrah's Cherokee Center
 
This is the second time in program history the Spartans have secured the SoCon Regular Season Title outright and fourth time earning at least a share. In addition, UNCG concluded the 2025 conference slate with a 13-1 record for its best SoCon regular season finish in program history.
 
UNCG swept the matchups against Western Carolina this year, winning, 66-58, on Jan. 25 in Cullowhee, North Carolina, and 57-53 on Feb. 22. in Greensboro, North Carolina. The overall series history between the Catamounts and Spartans is currently tied at 40-40.
 
For more information on the SoCon Basketball Championships click here.
 

  
 
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE SPARTANS

• UNCG concluded the 2024-25 regular season with wins over Samford and Mercer last weekend.
• With the team's 76-37 win over Mercer on Saturday, the Spartans extended their winning streak to 11. The last time UNCG tallied an 11-game win streak was in the 1996-97 season from Jan. 22 to Feb. 28.
• Four Spartans reached double-figures in the game against Mercer.
• Nya Smith led the way with 14 points, while Jaila Lee and Nia Howard followed with 13 points apiece. Makiah Asidanya chipped in 10 points.
• The Spartans recorded 12 three-pointers in the game for their fifth game with double-figure triples this season.
• A total of 10 different Spartans scored in the game.
• Howard and Jaila Lee went a perfect 3-for-3 from behind the arc.
• Khalis Cain led the way with six boards and two blocks.
• UNCG bested Mercer in points in the paint (30-18), points off turnovers (20-6), second chance points (18-0), fast break points (9-2) and bench points (38-0).

ABOUT THE SPARTANS

• UNCG concluded the 2024-25 regular season at 22-6 overall and 13-1 in the SoCon.
• The Spartans also concluded the 2024-25 regular season slate undefeated at home at 14-0. This is the second time in program history that UNCG has went undefeated at home and first time in the Division I era. The Spartans went 10-0 at home back in the 1987-88 regular season.
• UNCG is on an 18-game winning streak at home and is 29-1 over the past two seasons for the best home record in the SoCon.
• In her ninth season at the helm of the Blue & Gold, Head Coach Trina Patterson has now tallied her fourth season at UNCG achieving 20 or more wins, as the team now stands at 20-6 overall. It is Patterson's second time earning a share of the SoCon Regular Season Title and first time earning it outright.
• After her successful regular season, Patterson was named SoCon Coach of the Year, announced on Tuesday.
• Smith was named SoCon Freshman of the Year, Sixth Woman of the Year and tabbed to the First Team and All-Freshman Team.
• Cain earned a spot on the All-Conference Second Team and All-Defensive Team, while Jayde Gamble was selected to the All-Conference Second Team.
• UNCG is in the top 50 nationally in six categories including, scoring defense (3^rd/52.0), bench points per game (12^th/27.9), fouls per game (38^th/14.2), field goal percentage defense (39^th/37.5), scoring margin (41^st/14.0) and winning percentage (44^th/78.6).
• The Spartans are pacing the SoCon in six categories: bench points per game (27.9), fouls per game (14.2), scoring defense (52.0), scoring margin (14.0) and steals per game (9.6).
• Cain is 13^th in the country with a 4.2 offensive rebounds per game. She leads the conference in offensive rebounds per game (4.2) and is second in rebounds per game (8.4) and total rebounds (236).
• Gamble is third in the SoCon with 63 steals and a 2.25 steals per game average.
• UNCG is besting its opponents across several categories: points per game (66.0-52.0), field goals per game (23.5-19.0), three-pointers per game (6.2-4.5), rebounds per game (36.4-31.1), assists per game (10.8-10.0), steals per game (9.8-6.2) and blocks per game (2.8-2.7).
• Gamble paces the team with 337 points, 130 field goals, 78 assists and 63 steals.
• Lee leads the squad at the charity stripe with 71 made free throws and a 74.0 free throw percentage.
• Smith stands out from behind the arc with 49 three-pointers.
• Cain earned her second SoCon Player of the Week of her career (Jan.28) after registering a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds in a 66-58 win over Western Carolina (Jan. 25). 
• Smith was named the SoCon Player of the Week (Dec. 24) after leading the Spartans with 19 points and five boards at Wake Forest (Dec. 20). 
• After leading the team's game against Carolina University with 10 rebounds, Cain surpassed 1,000 rebounds in her collegiate career. She is the third player in program history to reach the 1,000 career rebounds milestone and leads the Division I era in total rebounds.
• Cain is the all-time leading blocker in UNCG program history with 186 in her career.
• Gamble tallied her 1,000^th career point at the free throw line at 1:29 in the fourth quarter in the team's game against ETSU on Jan. 9 in Greensboro. Of those points, 659 came at UNCG, while 341 were achieved in her first two seasons at UNC Wilmington.
• With her three steals against Samford on Feb. 27, Gamble reached the 200 career steals milestone.
• The Spartans went 21-12 overall and 8-6 in league play during the 2023-24 season.
• UNCG appeared in the SoCon Championship for the seventh time in program history last season, falling to Chattanooga, 69-60.
• The 2024-25 roster features 10 returners and five newcomers with three transfers and two freshmen.
• Three of last year's starters have returned this season in Cain, Gamble and Howard.
• The Spartans were picked to finish second in the 2024-25 SoCon Preseason Coaches' Poll with one first-place vote.
• Cain and Gamble were selected to the SoCon Preseason All-SoCon Team. 

SCOUTING WESTERN CAROLINA

• Western Carolina concluded the 2024-25 regular season 13-16 overall and 3-11 in the SoCon.
• The Catamounts notched a 76-69 win over Samford on Saturday afternoon in Birmingham, Alabama, to wrap up regular season play.
• Sophomore Tyja Beans matched a Western Carolina single-game program record with a perfect 10-for-10 performance from the field against the Bulldogs.
• Western Carolina leads the SoCon in assists per game (14.4), field goal percentage (44.1) and scoring offense (70.8).
• The Catamounts are besting their opponents in points per game (70.8-68.9), field goals per game (25.7-24.3), rebounds per game (37.2-34.4), assists per game (14.4-12.5) and blocks (2.7-2.1).
• Jada Burton is 22^nd nationally with 155 assists and 26^th in the country with a 5.3 assists per game average.
• Beans is 26^th nationally with a 56.6 field goal percentage.
• Avyonce Carter leads the SoCon with 377 field goal attempts, 92 free throws, 427 points, 14.7 points per game and 237 rebounds this season.
• Carter (Dec. 17) and Burton (Dec. 31) have both earned one SoCon Player of the Week recognition each on the 2024-25 season.
• Carter was selected to the All-SoCon First Team, announced by the conference on Tuesday.
• The Catamounts were picked to finish last in the 2024-25 SoCon Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• Jonathan Tsipis is in his first year as the head coach of the Catamounts.
• Western Carolina concluded the 2023-24 season with a 6-24 overall record and 1-13 mark in SoCon play.

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UP NEXT
The winner of the contest between No. 1 UNCG and No. 8 Western Carolina on Thursday will advance to the SoCon Semifinals on Friday, March 7 at 11:00 a.m. in Asheville, North Carolina, at Harrah's Cherokee Center, facing the winner of the No. 4 Wofford vs No. 5 Samford matchup.