Lady Braves Fall Short of Sweeping Three-Game Road Stretch
The UNCP women’s basketball team was put to the test during a three-game road stint, but came out on top with a 2-1 record, putting them at 6-8 (4-6 in conference) for the season.
It has been a rough start for the Lady Braves as they really hadn’t been able to string together more than two wins in a row, but they managed to play better at home in the confines of Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court.
Things didn’t start out as the Lady Braves had hoped as they kicked off the road trip with a 51-64 loss to Columbus State on Jan.13. The two teams struggled from the field, with both posting a 30-percent field goal percentage.
UNCP got out-rebounded 33-45, and that ultimately is what cost the Lady Braves the game, as well as the abysmal 17 percent from behind the arc. The Lady Braves also had a hard time capitalizing on Columbus State’s 21 turnovers, only being able to turn them into seven points.
The Cougars managed to score 21 points off of the Lady Braves’ 19 turnovers. Senior Nyla Allen was the lone bright spot for UNCP, as she managed to muster her best shooting performance percentage of the season, going 5-6 from the field and dropping in 16 points.
The Lady Braves’ fortunes took a turn for the better in the second game of the road stretch as the Black and Gold beat a struggling Georgia Southwestern squad, who came into the game with a 1-7 Peach Belt Conference record, 73- 60 on Jan. 15.
The win was the Lady Braves’ first away from Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court, and they moved into eighth place in the PBC. The Black and Gold shot noticeably better as they poured in 46 percent of their shots, while draining a respectable 40 percent from downtown.
Senior Brandi Robinson has been a coming on strong as of late, and she continued that by earning her first career double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. In the final game of the three away from home, the Lady Braves once again capitalized on a favorable matchup.
They won against the 3-13 USC Aiken Pacers, who have yet to win a game in Peach Belt Conference, 60-54 on Jan. 17. The Pacers shot themselves out of the game, as they were 1-11 on field goal attempts in the first quarter and only went 3-24 in the entire first half.
They scored as many points in the first half as UNCP did in the first quarter. Once again, senior Nyla Allen led the Lady Braves in scoring with 15 points continuing her consecutive game streak of scoring double figures.
