ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) women's basketball team defeated the Western Carolina Catamounts on Thursday, 50-43, in The Southern Conference (SoCon) Quarterfinals to advance to the semifinal round at Harrah's Cherokee Center.
 
With today's quarterfinal win over Western Carolina, UNCG has now reached a 12-game winning streak for the first time in the Division I era. The Spartans previously tallied 12 consecutive wins when the 1986-87 notched a 24-game winning streak from Dec. 6 to Feb. 28
 
In addition, with the win over the Catamounts, UNCG improves its 2024-25 overall record to 23-6, matching Head Coach Trina Patterson's most single season wins, which she first achieved in the 2019-20 season at the helm of the Blue & Gold.
 
Khalis Cain registered her ninth double-double of the season and 24^th of her career with 13 points and leading the game with 15 rebounds. Jaila Lee led the game in scoring with 14 points.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Lee got the scoring started in Thursday's contest with a jumper in the paint for a 2-0 lead. Western Carolina's Zanoria Cruz responded with four consecutive points to give the Catamounts a 4-2 advantage. Nya Smith put the Spartans back on top, 5-4, with a triple at the top of the key. The first frame would continue to go back-and-forth, seeing a total of six lead changes. With the Catamounts up, 12-11, Lee drew a foul and went 2-for-2 at the free throw line to secure UNCG with a one-point advantage, 13-12, heading to the break.
 
A layup from Cain one minute into the second quarter began an 8-0 run for a 21-12 advantage. The Spartans held the Catamounts from taking the lead again in the game. Western Carolina's Nicole Azar launched a three-pointer with 44 seconds remaining in the stanza, but both teams went into the locker room with the Spartans on top, 28-19.
 
Heavy defense kept both teams from scoring for the first 2:12 of the second half. Lee got the first bucket of the third quarter after going 1-for-2 at the charity stripe, 29-19. UNCG maintained the lead, but Western Carolina was able to make it a one possession game on a couple occasions as the Catamounts knocked down four three-pointers in the third frame. Avyonce Carter made it a three-point game with a last-second triple to close out the third frame with UNCG up, 41-38.
 
Western Carolina began the final frame with a 3-0 run to tie the game, 41-41. The remainder of the game was an all-out defensive battle with several ties. With the game tied at 43, Lee recorded a layup to never allow Western Carolina to tie the game again. Smith chipped in a layup at 1:50 to make it 47-43 Spartans before Jayde Gamble notched three consecutive points at the charity stripe to grant UNCG with the 50-43 victory.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Smith chipped in seven points and led the Spartans with three steals.
• Seven different Spartans scored in the game.
• Cain also paced the game with three assists and two blocks.
• Cain's 15 rebounds marked her 13^th game this season with double-digit boards.
• UNCG bested Western Carolina in points in the paint (28-8), points off turnovers (15-6), second chance points (13-2) and bench points (18-11).
• Western Carolina led the way in fast break points, 3-2.
• The Spartans outrebounded the Catamounts, 44-31.

RECORDS
UNCG: 23-6, 13-1 SoCon
Western Carolina: 13-17, 3-11 SoCon

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UP NEXT
The Spartans will face the winner of the No. 4 Wofford vs No. 5 Samford quarterfinal matchup in the SoCon Semifinals on Friday, March 7 at 11:00 a.m. in Asheville, North Carolina, at Harrah's Cherokee Center.