ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – Behind a dominant second-half performance and a balanced scoring attack, the University of North Georgia (UNG) women's basketball team opened the new year with a 64-51 road victory over Flagler on Saturday afternoon. The win keeps the Nighthawks undefeated in Peach Belt Conference play at 5-0.
Averie Jones led the way for North Georgia (10-5, 5-0 PBC), netting a team-high 17 points while adding five rebounds and three steals.
Riley Simmons was highly efficient, shooting 6-of-9 from the floor to finish with 13 points and six boards.
Jaleah Storr proved to be a force on the glass and as a playmaker, hauling down a game-high 11 rebounds and dishing out five assists to go along with her four points. The 11 rebounds marked a new career high for Storr.
Hannah Cail also reached double figures with 10 points.
The contest began as a defensive struggle, with the teams locked in a 12-12 tie after the first quarter, but Flagler (6-7, 2-4 PBC) managed to take a slim one-point lead into the locker room at halftime.
However, the Nighthawks took control in the third quarter. North Georgia found its offensive rhythm, shooting 57% (8-of-14) from the field during the period. A layup by
Kendall Emener and a pair of free throws by Cail helped spark a surge that gave UNG a 44-37 lead heading into the final ten minutes.
In the fourth quarter, North Georgia pulled away, leading by as many as 18 points following a three-point play by Cail with 3:04 remaining. The Nighthawks outscored Flagler 32-10 in the paint and held Flagler to just 24% shooting for the game.
The Saints (6-7, 2-4 PBC) were led by Marley Smith, who finished with 14 points and seven rebounds.
UNG returns to action on Wednesday, Jan. 7 with a Peach Belt home game against GCSU scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m. in Lynn Cottrell Arena at the UNG Convocation Center.
