Greensboro, N.C. – The Western Carolina women's basketball team rallied in the middle quarters but were unable to overcome both a slow start and finish as they fell to UNC Greensboro 57-53 on Saturday afternoon in Southern Conference action at Fleming Gymnasium.
Tyja Beans and AC Carter paced the WCU offense in the close loss, going for 14 points apiece with Beans leading the team with six rebounds. Jada Burton dished out a game-high eight assists, her second-best total in a SoCon game this season. UNCG was led by Nya Smith and Makiah Asidanya who scored 14 and 13 points. respectively. Khalis Cain was the only player in the game to go for double-digit rebounds with 10.
Beans earned the first two points of the game on the first Catamount shot of the day as the two squads looked to find an offensive flow early. Neither team created much distance from the other as the Spartans took a 7-4 lead into the first media timeout. The two teams combined for only five more points as the first quarter ended 11-5 in UNCG's favor.
The Spartans carried their momentum into the second quarter with Tasia Johnson hitting a quick three to extend the home lead to nine. Zanoria Cruz broke the scoring run with a two-point jumper before AC Carter trimmed the deficit to six again after a physical layup. Carter hit a second shot to cut it to four before Taj Hunter finished off an 8-0 Catamount run to bring the game within a single possession.
UNCG's Asidanya snapped the streak before Grace Pack hit the first WCU 3-pointer of the game and Taj Hunter capitalized on a breakaway to give the Catamounts an 18-17 lead. UNCG reclaimed the lead on a Makiah Anderson 3-pointer before Chelsea Wooten made it a 23-22 game in the home team's favor at the halftime buzzer.
WCU opened the second half with a quick five-point spurt, jumping out to a 27-23 lead thanks to a free throw from Cruz and a pair of jumpers by Burton and Carter. UNCG responded with points on back-to-back possessions to knot the game at 27, but Cruz knocked down a triple in response, giving WCU a 30-27 lead. The senior then converted an and-one possession to put the Catamounts up six.
Western Carolina stretched its lead to as many as nine in the third quarter before the Spartans began chipping into the deficit, eventually tying it at 43. Burton, Cruz, and Tyja Beans put together five consecutive points for the Catamounts right before the end of the quarter, putting WCU up 48-43 heading into the final 10 minutes.
The Spartans tied the game at 48 early in the fourth quarter on a long shot by Nya Smith. Neither team then scored for nearly five full minutes of game action following the tie, until Smith again connected on a deep ball to put the Spartans up 51-48 with 4:11 to go.
Beans broke the Catamount scoreless drought with 3:47 remaining in regulation after a free throw before she tied the game at 51 all with just under two minutes to play. Asidanya hit another 3-pointer, this time with a second to go on the shot clock to give the Spartans the lead for a final time. Beans sank another jumper to make it a 54-53 game, but the Spartans hit three free throws in the final seconds to claim the 57-53 win.
Catamount Notables:
- AC Carter went for 14 points in the loss, her 10th game in Southern Conference play going for double-digit points;
- Tyja Beans went for double figure scoring for the second consecutive game;
- Jada Burton dished out eight assists, her second-highest total in a SoCon game this season;
Up Next for The Catamounts:
The Catamounts remain on the road to close out the 2025 regular season with a two-game road swing, traveling to Macon, Ga., to face the Mercer Bears (Feb. 27) and then to Birmingham, Ala., to meet Samford (March 1). Then all attention will be turned to the 2025 Ingles Southern Conference Basketball Championship in Asheville, N.C. (March 6-9).
