UMO women’s basketball falls at UNC Pembroke

PEMBROKE – After shooting just 28.8 percent from the field, the Trojans suffered a 58-42 loss at UNC Pembroke on Jan. 25 in Conference Carolinas play.

With the loss, the University of Mount Olive women’s basketball team dropped to 10-11 overall with a 6-7 mark in conference action. The two sides split the season series with both teams winning on their home court by double digits. Meanwhile, the Braves improved to 14-7 this season with an 11-2 record in league play.

Junior Haleigh Crews tied a team-high with eight points while adding seven rebounds and three steals in 29 minutes. Senior Makayla Kimble produced eight points and three rebounds in 31 minutes, while junior Reagan Hune tallied six points and six rebounds in 32 minutes. Freshman Maleiya Hill totaled six points, five rebounds and two assists in 25 minutes.

Both teams struggled from the floor in the first quarter with the Trojans converting the opening basket at the 7:32 mark on a layup from Hill. UNC Pembroke responded with a 13-3 run over the next five minutes to take a 13-5 advantage. Hune countered with a layup with 1:43 left in the quarter before both sides went scoreless to end the first.

The Braves managed to stretch the lead to 17-7 over the initial two minutes of the second quarter with four straight points. UMO slowly chipped away at the lead, trailing 25-16, before Kimble drilled a three-pointer with 38 seconds remaining to cut the gap to 25-19.

The Braves maintained a 33-28 advantage early in the third quarter, then scored six consecutive points to extend the lead back to double figures before the Trojans scored four straight points to trail 39-32. The Braves mounted an 8-0 run over the final 1:08 of the third to hold a 46-32 advantage heading into the fourth.

UNC Pembroke managed to stretch the lead to its largest of the game, 56-36 at the 4:32 mark, to seal the win.

The Trojans finished the game shooting 28.8 percent (15 of 52) from the floor while converting just three of 11 (27.3 percent) from three-point range. Meanwhile, the Braves shot at a 38.9 percent clip (21 of 54) from the field and made 13 of 15 (86.7 percent) from the free-throw line. UNC Pembroke finished with a 38-36 rebounding advantage and scored 24 points in the paint, while UMO finished with 15 points off the bench.

— From University of Mount Olive Athletics