Women's Basketball Suffers Two-Point Loss to UNCG

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NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Privateers women's basketball team (3-5) could not foul to extend the game in the final seconds of an 81-79 loss to the UNCG Spartans (5-6) on Thursday at the Lakefront Arena.
 
Randi Brown hit a scoring flurry in the second half and had seven points in the final minute of the game. Brown hit two of three free throws with 12 seconds remaining to put the Privateers within two. However, UNCG was able to keep the ball away and prevent being fouled while they bled the rest of the clock out to secure the win.
 
The final quarter saw 55 points combined between both teams as UNCG accounted for 31 while the Privateers put in 24. The Spartans overcame being out-scored in the paint 54-32 by doubling up the Privateers in points at the free throw line (28-14).
 
UNCG turned a strong finish in the third quarter to an 8-1 run that started the fourth, which gave the Spartans a 58-57 lead. UNCG never trailed for the rest of the game, but never led by more than four points. The game was tied twice in that span.
 
The Privateers overcame a start in which they hit just one of their first 10 shots from the field. After trailing by as many as six through the first six minutes, New Orleans started to convert baskets from in close as they finished the first quarter with seven makes in their last eight attempts. Both teams exited the quarter level at 14-14.
 
The game remained close throughout the second quarter, but the Privateers pulled a 7-0 spurt to take a 34-27 lead. UNCG responded in the form of Lucy Mason getting five free throw trips on two possessions that spanned the final 18 seconds. At the half, New Orleans held a narrow 34-32 lead as Jewel Angelo led the team in scoring, posting nine points in her first two quarters of the season.
 
New Orleans started to assert command in the first five minutes of the third quarter behind hot shooting. The Privateers built a lead as large as 12 points, but the Spartans used full court pressure and free throw trips to battle back. Trailing 53-41 with 4:07 left in the third, UNCG went on a 9-2 run to end the quarter.
 
Brown finished with 21 points, five rebounds, three steals, and two assists while logging 27 minutes. 19 of those points came in the second half. Angelo's season debut finished with 13 points in 21 minutes. Bria Platenburg added 12 points and Danielle Davis had eight points along with a team-high five assists. Halie Matthews added eight points and seven rebounds.
 
Mason finished with 28 points despite shooting just 5-of-15 from the field. Mason went 17-of-20 from the line and added seven assists, four rebounds, and four steals.  Shanese Harris posted 18 points while Jade Scaife went for a double-double with 11 points and 10 boards. Keli Foster scored 10 points in 24 minutes.
 
The Privateers will next play on Dec. 30 at Arkansas. Tip is scheduled for 7 p.m.
 
For more information on ticket purchasing for the 2015-16 season, click here or call (504) 280-GAME (4263).
 
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