MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – A 24-point effort from
Caroline Martin led the No. 12 University of North Georgia women's basketball team to a 67-61 victory over Wingate at the Carolinas College Challenge hosted by the
Beach Ball Classic. North Georgia's defense was a key factor in the win holding the Bulldogs to 12 points in each of the first three quarters. Martin and
Carly Fahey logged 40 minutes each in the game, with
Kaylee Sticker playing in 38 minutes as UNG shortened the rotation for the battle between two of the top-ranked teams in the Southeast Region rankings.
Sticker and
Kayla Massop followed behind Martin in scoring, each finishing with 11 points and eight rebounds. Fahey added eight points and five rebounds and leading the Nighthawks in assists with four.
Dasha Cannon continued to be a spark plug off the bench for UNG, finishing with six points and seven rebounds in 14 minutes of action.
Five different Nighthawks combined for a season-high 14 steals in the game, with
Josie Earnhardt and Massop leading the way in that category with four. Martin added to her offensive performance on the defensive side with three steals.
Key Moments
- Wingate and North Georgia entered the matchup ranked No. 2 and No. 3 respectively in the D2SIDA Southeast Region poll.
- Wingate scored the first two points of the game before UNG scored seven straight to take a 7-2 lead at the 7:42 mark of the first quarter.
- The Bulldogs would retake the lead with 2:43 left in the first quarter, but the Nighthawks would take back the lead on the next possession on a Martin three-pointer.
- A layup by Wingate's Hannah Clark at the buzzer would tie the game at 12 at the end of the first.
- Fahey would open up the scoring in the second quarter to take a 15-12 lead. The Nighthawks would hold the lead for the remainder of the game.
- Neither side could take control of the game for the rest of the half, with UNG holding a 28-24 advantage at the halftime break.
- UNG would push the lead to 10 with 6:02 to go in the third before a Wingate 6-0 run to pull back with four points.
- The Nighthawks would open up the fourth quarter with a 10-2 run to make it a 14-point lead, their largest of the game. Wingate stayed in the game, trimming the deficit to as low as three with 52 seconds remaining.
- North Georgia would make all six free throw attempts in the final minute to seal the six-point victory.
Next Up
The Nighthawks (9-1, 2-0 PBC) will take a brief pause before returning to the hardwood in Lynn Cottrell Arena at the UNG Convocation Center for a 5:30 p.m. tip-off versus Reinhardt on Dec. 30 before beginning the bulk of the Peach Belt Conference slate.
