Thursday, January 4, 2007

LADY SAINTS OPEN CONFERENCE PLAY, FALL ON THE ROAD
North Georgia unable to overcome second half run

Pembroke, N.C. – North Georgia College & State University fell 66-63 to UNC Pembroke to open the 2007 Peach Belt Conference season at the English E. Jones Center Thursday night.

The Lady Saints trailed by as many as six points in the second half, but were able to chip away at the lead and get it cut to one, 62-61. Following a Syretha Marble free throw that trimmed the lead to 62-61 with 1:14 remaining, L'oreal Price pushed the lead back to three at 64-61 with a lay-up - with only 55.8 seconds left in the game. The Lady Saints were able to get it back to a one-point deficit with 43.2 seconds remaining, when Marble got through the Lady Braves' defense for a lay-up.

Unfortunately, the Lady Braves were able to get free for a lay-up off an inbounds play to seal the victory.

UNC Pembroke (3-8, 1-0 PBC) went on a 16-8 run midway through the second half to take a two-point lead, a lead the Lady Saints were unable to overcome.

Trailing 46-40, Ivy Ramsey connected on a lay-up with 11:09 remaining in the game to trim the lead to four, 46-42. Porsha White was able to extend the lead back to six with a lay-up at the 9:26 mark. Price trimmed the lead back to four with 9:05 to play, and Victoria Willis trimmed the lead to 48-47 with a three-pointer just 48 seconds later.

The Lady Saints turned to sophomore point guard Lindsey Kitchens with 7:53 remaining to push the lead to 51-47. Ramsey struck again for the Lady Braves with a jumper that trimmed the lead to 51-49, before Price hit a lay-up on a fast break that tied the game at 51-51. Kitchens gave the Lady Saints the lead back with 5:53 to play with a three-pointer, but UNC Pembroke was able to take the lead on back-to-back baskets by Price and Ramsey.

The first half was a different story, as the Lady Saints were the team on a run.

Leading only 13-12 midway through the first half, the Lady Saints went on a 16-5 run over the next 4:46 to take a 29-17 lead. The run started when White gathered an offensive rebound and finished off the possession to give the Lady Saints a 15-12 lead with 9:35 remaining in the first half. Junior Megan Huffman continued her hot streak from the outside, connecting on a 15-footer to give the Lady Saints a 17-12 lead. Junior center Rachael Jolley joined the parade, hitting a jumper with 8:31 remaining to extend the lead to seven.

Following a jumper by UNC Pembroke, the Lady Saints pushed the lead back to seven on a White jumper with 7:16 remaining in the half. Jolley struck again with 6:41 remaining to extend the lead to nine, 26-15. Following another basket by Pembroke, that trimmed the lead back to seven, freshman Brooke Baker drilled her first three-pointer of the contest with 5:55 remaining in the half. The basket gave the Lady Saints their biggest lead of the half (11).

UNC Pembroke shot 46.8 (29-for-62) percent from the floor, while shooting just 30.4 (7-for-23) percent from behind the arc. They also shot just 20 (1-for-5) percent from the free throw line.

North Georgia shot 39 (23-for-59) percent from the floor, and 33.3 (8-for-24) percent from behind the arc. They also shot just 50 (9-for-18) percent from the free throw line.

Willis led all scorers with 15 points to pace UNC Pembroke, while Ramsey and Natalie Ray each added 14 points in the victory. Price chipped in with 12.

White led the Lady Saints with 14 points, while Huffman finished with 13. Kitchens finished with 11 off the bench for North Georgia.

North Georgia (5-6, 0-1 PBC) hits the road again on Saturday, traveling to Savannah to take on Armstrong Atlantic State University (7-5, 1-0 PBC). Game time is set for 2 pm.

-NGCSU-

Box Score

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