GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) women's basketball team will conclude the 2024-25 regular season campaign with a trip to Samford and Mercer this week.
 
The Spartans will face Samford on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. EST/6:00 p.m. CST in Birmingham, Alabama, at the Pete Hanna Center before concluding the regular season at Mercer on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. in Macon, Georgia, at Hawkins Arena.
 

   
 
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE SPARTANS

• The Spartans most recently claimed a 57-53 victory over Western Carolina on Saturday in Fleming Gym to secure The Southern Conference (SoCon) Regular Season Title.
• Nya Smith and Makiah Asidanya led the Spartans in double-figures with 14 and 13 points, respectively.
• Khalis Cain led the game with 10 rebounds and added six points.
• Smith led the team from downtown with three triples.
• Asidanya and Jayde Gamble recorded two steals apiece.
• Jaila Lee chipped in eight points.
• Western Carolina bested UNCG in points in the paint (28-16) and fast break points (6-2).
• The Spartans led the way in points off turnovers (17-10), second chance points (25-7), bench points (30-9), rebounds (36-29) and steals (7-5).

ABOUT THE SPARTANS

• UNCG is 20-6 overall and 11-1 in the SoCon, sitting at first place in the conference standings.
• UNCG is off to its best start in conference play since the 2001-02 season. That team also started off league action 11-1 and finished the regular season 14-4.
• With UNCG being granted the SoCon Regular Season Title on Saturday, it marks the second time in program history the Spartans have secured the SoCon Regular Season Title outright and fourth time earning at least a share.
• The Spartans have also concluded the 2024-25 regular season 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 at the helm of the Blue & Gold to achieve a part of the SoCon Regular Season Title and first time earning it outright.
• The Spartans come into Thursday's matchup with the Bulldogs on a nine-game winning streak. The last time the Spartans tallied a nine-game win streak was in the 2019-20 season.
• UNCG is in the top 50 nationally in five categories including, scoring defense (3^rd/52.3), bench points per game (15^th/27.6), fouls per game (42^nd/14.3), field goal percentage defense (42^nd/37.6) and scoring margin (49^th/13.1).
• The Spartans are pacing the SoCon in six categories: bench points per game (27.6), fouls per game (14.3), scoring defense (52.3), scoring margin (13.1), steals per game (9.8) and turnovers forced per game (18.12).
• Cain is seventh in the country with a 4.4 offensive rebounds per game. She leads the conference in offensive rebounds per game (4.4), rebounds per game (8.5) and total rebounds (220).
• Gamble is third in the SoCon with 60 steals and a 2.31 steals per game average.
• UNCG is besting its opponents across several categories: points per game (65.4-52.3), field goals per game (23.0-19.2), 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 313 points, 120 field goals, 75 assists and 60 steals.
• Lee leads the squad at the charity stripe with 69 made free throws and a 74.2 free throw percentage.
• Smith stands out from behind the arc with 46 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 183 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.
• 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 Nia 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 SAMFORD

• Samford comes into Thursday's matchup with a 12-16 overall record and 7-5 mark in the SoCon.
• The Bulldogs stand at fourth place in the conference and are currently on a five-game winning streak. The team's last loss came to UNCG on Saturday, Feb. 1.
• The team most recently claimed both its road wins last week, with a 62-54 win over Wofford on Thursday and a 73-62 win over Furman on Saturday.
• Samford is leading the SoCon in free throw attempts per game (20.18), three-point percentage (33.9) and three-pointers per game (7.3).
• Kennedy Langham leads the conference with 127 free throw attempts.
• Sadie Stetson paces the league with 54 three-pointers.
• Langham is pacing the team with 320 points, 112 field goals and 79 free throws.
• Stetson leads the Bulldogs with 54 three-pointers and 39 steals.
• Emily Bowman stands out defensively with 172 boards and 48 blocks.
• Sierra Godbolt is the best passer on the team with 93 assists.
• Langham was tabbed to the Preseason All-SoCon Team. 
• The Bulldogs were slated to finish in a tie for third place with Furman in the 2024-25 SoCon Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• The Bulldogs have collected four SoCon Player of the Weeks this season including, Bowman (Nov. 19 & Dec. 10), Annie Ramil (Jan. 7) and Claire Johnson (Feb. 4).
• Samford will conclude its 2024-25 regular season by hosting Western Carolina on Saturday.

SERIES HISTORY VS SAMFORD
Samford leads in the overall series against UNCG at 27-9. The Spartans secured the 78-66 win over the Bulldogs earlier this year in Greensboro on Saturday, Feb. 1.

SCOUTING MERCER

• Mercer currently stands in a tie for last place in the SoCon standings with Western Carolina with a 7-20 overall record and 2-10 mark in conference.
• The Bears last three losses have come in just one possession. Mercer fell to ETSU, 70-67, in Macon on Thursday, Feb. 15.
• The team most recently fell at Furman on Thursday, 72-70, and at Wofford on Saturday, 65-64.
• Mercer is leading the SoCon with a 3.3 blocks per game average.
• Ariana Bennett leads the team with 294 points, 105 field goals and 84 free throws.
• Kayla Smith stands out from downtown with 29 three-pointers.
• Ashlee Locke paces the team with 163 rebounds, 31 steals and 46 blocks.
• The Bears were picked to finish seventh in the 2024-25 SoCon Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• Locke earned the first SoCon Player of the Week award of the 2024-25 season on Nov. 12.
• Mercer will host Western Carolina on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. before welcoming UNCG on Saturday.

SERIES HISTORY VS MERCER
Mercer leads in the overall meetings with UNCG at 18-7. UNCG claimed the previous meeting over Mercer this season, 70-37, in Greensboro on Thursday, Jan. 30.

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UNCG Women's Basketball Home 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 enter the 2025 SoCon Tournament as the No. 1 seed facing the No. 8 seed on Thursday, March 6 at 11:00 a.m. in Asheville, North Carolina, at the Harrah's Cherokee Center. UNCG's opponent in the SoCon Quarterfinal matchup will be determined after the conclusion of all conference games on Saturday.