FRANKLIN SPRINGS, Ga. – The No. 4 University of North Georgia (UNG) women's basketball team pieced together multiple timely scoring runs in each half and used a decisive 14-4 stretch in the third quarter to earn a 64-52 win over Young Harris on Saturday at Emmanuel's Shaw Athletic Center. The Nighthawks improved to 3-2 with their most balanced second-half performance of the young season.
Young Harris controlled the early tempo behind a flurry from Rhiannon Saller, who scored 12 of the Mountain Lions' first 16 points. YHC used a 10-4 run late in the opening frame to build an 18-13 lead after 10 minutes.
North Georgia settled in during the second quarter, using back-to-back buckets from
Averie Jones and
Maddie Millar to spark a 7-2 run that trimmed a five-point deficit to 22-20. After trading scores, the Nighthawks closed the half with a quick 4-0 spurt in the final 3:37, fueled by two free throws from
Caroline Martin and a mid-range jumper from
Zaynah Preston, giving UNG its first lead since the opening minutes at 26-24.
The Nighthawks seized full control in the third quarter. After Young Harris momentarily tied the score twice, UNG responded with the game's defining push, a 14-4 run over a 4:30 stretch. That surge featured aggressive downhill play from Cail and Martin, including eight made free throws during the span, along with a key jumper from Jones. The run pushed the margin to 44-36.
North Georgia kept its foot on the gas in the final period, opening with a 6-2 burst capped by a Martin driving finish to extend the lead to double digits for the first time at 52-41. The Nighthawks never allowed Young Harris within single digits the rest of the way, protecting the lead with strong defensive rebounding and near-perfect free-throw shooting, finishing 23-for-26 at the stripe.
Martin led UNG with 19 points and 11 made free throws. Jones added 16 points, while Cail reached double figures with 10. Preston contributed seven points and eight rebounds, and
Kendall Emener added five points and five boards.
Young Harris (1-1) was paced by Saller's 21 points and eight rebounds. Annalise Malone added nine points, while Kamryn Bates chipped in six.
North Georgia returns home next weekend to for the team's first home games as part of the UNG Nighthawk Classic presented by Bryan Properties. UNG will face Lincoln Memorial on Friday, Nov. 21 at 6:00 p.m. in Lynn Cottrell Arena at the UNG Convocation Center.
