PEMBROKE, N.C. (Jan. 31) – After being held to single-digit points in a pair of quarters, the Trojans fell by a 72-44 margin at UNC Pembroke on Wednesday night in Conference Carolinas play.
With the loss, the University of Mount Olive women's basketball team falls to 5-13 this season behind a 3-7 mark in league action. The initial KPI rankings were released on Monday, UMO currently holds the No. 11 seed in the Conference Carolinas Tournament with eight games left in the regular season. Meanwhile, UNC Pembroke improves to 14-6 overall with a 9-2 record in conference play.
Junior
Tiandria Tucker posted a double-double with 12 points on 5-of-11 shooting with 11 rebounds and two steals in 28 minutes. Since her return to the lineup, she is averaging 8.0 points and 9.7 rebounds per game while coming off the bench.
Sophomore
Laila Anderson also finished with 12 points while converting a perfect four-of-four from the free-throw line in 34 minutes. Senior
Reagan Hune contributed six points, three rebounds, two assists, and one steal in 34 minutes.
The Braves opened the scoring with a three-pointer at the 7:27 mark of the first quarter, but UMO answered back with five unanswered points to take a slight 5-3 edge. UNCP responded with an 11-2 run on four-of-nine shooting with three forced turnovers to grab a 14-7 advantage with 1:48 left. Junior
Alexis Durham made a shot from beyond the arc on the next possession before the Braves tallied six of the following eight points to finish the first, 20-12. The Trojans closed the gap in the initial minutes of the second quarter to trail by a 22-16 margin, but UNCP countered with seven consecutive points to take a 29-16 lead. Anderson answered with a three-pointer before the Braves finished the quarter with a 10-2 run to build a 39-21 advantage at the break.
In the third quarter, Mount Olive totaled the opening six straight points to cut the deficit to 39-27 at the 8:02 mark. UNC Pembroke responded with an 8-2 run on three-of-three shooting before the sides exchanged points over the final four-plus minutes, 55-37. The Braves quickly stretched the lead to 70-40 after converting six-of-nine from the floor before the Trojans scored four of the final six points of the contest, 72-44.
UMO finished the contest shooting 25.9 percent (15-of-58) from the floor while converting 10-of-12 (83.3 percent) from the free-throw line. Meanwhile, UNCP posted a .500 field goal percentage (26-of-52) and made 10-of-25 (40.0 percent) from three-point range. The Trojans recorded a 42-31 rebounding advantage with 17 points off the bench, while the Braves registered 32 points off 22 forced turnovers.
Senior Kalaya Hall finished with a game-high 23 points on 8-of-14 shooting while adding six rebounds, three assists, and two steals in 31 minutes. Junior Malea Garrison tallied 10 points in 10 minutes off the bench. Senior Courtney Smith registered nine points, one rebound, three assists, and one steal in 24 minutes.
The Trojans return to Kornegay Arena on Saturday, Feb. 3, when they face Erskine on Church Night with tip-off set for 4 p.m.
