GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) women's basketball team will begin The Southern Conference (SoCon) schedule by hosting ETSU on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. and Chattanooga at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday in Fleming Gymnasium.
 

 
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE SPARTANS

• The Spartans most recently defeated Carolina University, 86-51, in Fleming Gymnasium Friday night to conclude the non-conference slate.
• Khalis Cain registered her second double-double of the season and 16^th of her career with her 10 rebounds and 10 points.
• Jaila Lee and Jayde Gamble led the Spartans in scoring with 14 points apiece. Makiah Asidanya followed closely behind with 13 points. Cain and Nia Howard rounded out the double-figure scorers for the Spartans with 10 points each.
• Gamble led the game with a season-high seven steals, tying her career best.
• Tasia Johnson registered a career-best five steals.
• 14 different Spartans competed in the contest and 12 of those scored.
• UNCG bested Carolina University in points in the paint (44-8), points off turnovers (33-7), second chance points (14-10), fast break points (21-6) and bench points (34-19).
• The Spartans outrebounded the Bruins, 43-33.

ABOUT THE SPARTANS

• UNCG is 9-5 overall to conclude the non-conference campaign, sitting at second place in the SoCon behind Western Carolina with a 10-5 record.
• The Spartans are undefeated at home with a 7-0 mark in Fleming Gym.
• The Blue & Gold are leading the SoCon in seven categories: bench points per game (29.1), fouls per game (14.2), scoring defense (51.5), scoring margin (16.9), steals per game (12.1), turnover margin (6.64) and turnovers forced per game (21.71). 
• The team is in the top-50 nationally in seven categories: scoring defense (5^th), bench points per game (21^st), steals per game (26^th), turnover margin (27^th) turnovers forced per game (29^th), fouls per game (34^th) and scoring margin (42^nd).
• UNCG is besting its opponents across several categories: points (958-721), field goals (354-265), three-pointers (87-70), free throws (163-121), rebounds (498-433), assists (166-147), points off turnovers (21.6-11.3) and steals (169-93).
• Gamble is second in the league with 41 steals and a 2.93 steals per game average. Her 41 steals puts her at 27^th in the country, while her 2.93 steals per game average ranks her at 23^rd nationally.
• Gamble paces the team with 186 points, 74 field goals, 46 assists and 41 steals.
• Smith stands out from behind the arc with 19 three-pointers.
• Lee paces the squad at the charity stripe with 44 free throws for a 71.0 free throw percentage.
• Cain leads the Spartans defensively with 92 boards and 10 blocks.
• 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 shot blocker in UNCG program history with 162 in her career.
• Smith was named the SoCon Player of the Week on Dec. 24 after leading the Spartans with 19 points and five boards at Wake Forest on Dec. 20.
• 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.
• Head Coach Trina Patterson is in her ninth season at the helm of the Blue & Gold.
• Patterson tallied her third season achieving 20 or more wins last year, leading UNCG to finish second in the regular season.
• 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 ETSU

• The Bucs come to Greensboro with a 9-6 overall record, sitting at fifth place in the conference.
• ETSU most recently wrapped up its non-conference slate with a 103-55 win over Tusculum on Thursday in Johnson City, Tennessee.
• ETSU and UNCG played one similar opponent in the non-conference campaign in UNC Asheville. Both teams came away with victories over the Bulldogs.
• The Bucs are leading the league with a 26.4 defensive three-point percentage.
• The squad is 22^nd nationally and second in the conference with a 55.3 scoring defense.
• Meghan Downing is second in the SoCon with 28 blocks and a 1.87 blocks per game average, while Courtney Moore is second with a 38.4 three-point percentage.
• Moore leads the team with 148 points, 28 three-pointers, 26 free throws and 23 steals.
• Carmen Richardson paces the squad with 51 field goals.
• Kendall Folley is the best passer on the team with 37 assists.
• Folley was tabbed to the 2024-25 Preseason All-SoCon Team. 
• ETSU was picked to finish fifth in the 2024-25 SoCon Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• Brenda Mock Brown is in her third season with the Bucs and led the team to a 18-12 overall record and 7-7 mark in conference play last season.

SERIES HISTORY VS ETSU
The Spartans and Bucs are tied at 22-22 in their overall meetings. UNCG went 1-1 against ETSU last season defeating the team at home, 54-50, on Jan. 27 but falling in Johnson City, 54-51, on Feb. 22.
 
SCOUTING CHATTANOOGA

• Chattanooga wrapped up its non-conference campaign with a 5-8 overall record.
• The Mocs will end an 18-day break to begin their SoCon schedule at Western Carolina on Thursday at 6:00 p.m. in Cullowhee.
• In its last time out, Chattanooga defeated Salem University on Saturday, Dec. 21, 93-34, in Chattanooga.
• The Mocs are third in the SoCon in field goal percentage defense (37.5), defensive rebounds per game (25.3), scoring defense (56.8) and defensive three-point percentage (27.1).
• The team's 56.8 scoring defense puts them at 45^th nationally.
• Sigrun Olafsdottir is leading the SoCon and sixth in the country, averaging 37.19 minutes per game.
• Olafsdottir is second in the conference with a 1.87 assist to turnover ratio.
• Gianna Corbitt is leading the team with 127 points, 86 rebounds and 10 blocks.
• Caia Elisaldez paces the Mocs with 50 field goals and 53 assists.
• Karsen Murphy stands out from behind the arc with 24 three-pointers.
• Anya Brooke leads Chattanooga at the charity stripe with 22 free throws.
• Elisaldez was named SoCon Player of the Week on Nov. 26 after averaging 16 points and 5.5 assists per game as the Mocs went 2-0 the week of Nov. 19-25.
• Kalifa Ford and Olafsdottir were both selected to the 2024-25 Preseason All-SoCon Team. 
• Chattanooga was picked to finish sixth in the 2024-25 SoCon Preseason Coaches' Poll and the team currently sits in sixth place in the SoCon standings.
• Deandra Schirmer is in her first season as the head coach for the Mocs.

SERIES HISTORY VS CHATTANOOGA
Chattanooga leads in the overall series against UNCG at 51-14. Chattanooga and UNCG traded off victories in the 2023-24 regular season with the Mocs defeating the Spartans, 73-55, in Greensboro on Jan. 25, but UNCG handing Chattanooga its only conference loss of last season, 68-64, on Feb. 24 in Chattanooga. The two teams last met in the 2023-24 SoCon Championship when Chattanooga defeated UNCG, 69-60, in Asheville, North Carolina.

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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 compete in their first SoCon roadtrip of the 2024-25 season next week by facing Wofford on Thursday, Jan. 16 at 7:00 p.m. in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and Furman on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 2:00 p.m. in Greenville, South Carolina.