In Asheville, North Carolina, UNC Greensboro triumphed over Chattanooga in the Southern Conference championship game, securing a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1998. Khalis Cain stood out for the Spartans, setting a personal best by scoring 20 points, along with 12 rebounds and five blocks, contributing significantly to their 64-57 overtime victory. This marked the second NCAA appearance for the Spartans.
UNC Greensboro, the top-seeded team with a 25-6 record, extended their winning streak to 14 games. Their defensive prowess was evident as they blocked a total of 10 shots, five of which occurred during the overtime period when Chattanooga only managed to make one out of nine attempts. Although UNCG went 2 for 5, they excelled at the free-throw line, hitting 8 of 11 shots.
Contributing to the victory, Jayde Gamble added 12 points and Nya Smith chipped in 10. Cain’s performance was further highlighted by securing her 25th career double-double. This win also marked a milestone for UNCG’s coach, Trina Patterson, as it is her first NCAA Tournament appearance in her distinguished 26-year coaching tenure.
For the second-seeded Chattanooga Mocs, freshman Gianna Corbitt led the scoring with 18 points, while Brooke Anya achieved a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Karsen Murphy also contributed 11 points to the team’s efforts. Despite a late 3-pointer by Murphy giving Chattanooga a 52-51 lead with under a minute in regulation, Cain immediately responded with a free throw to tie the game. Both sides missed final attempts in regulation, leading to overtime.
The game began with UNCG scoring eight consecutive points, leading 26-21 at halftime in a first half marked by both teams shooting below 36%, but maintaining minimal turnovers and fouls. Chattanooga rallied with a halftime-spanning 11-0 run, equalizing the game at 26 through Murphy’s 3-pointer, and then leading briefly with Anya’s successful free throws.
