DAHLONEGA | After trailing by six at the half, the University of North Georgia women’s basketball team used a early fourth quarter surge sparked by junior
Jordan Livesay to take down North Greenville, 68-59,
Friday evening in their season opener at Memorial Hall.
The Crusaders and Nighthawks went back and forth for the majority of the game with NGU having an 8-7 advantage in scoring in the second quarter and UNG holding the slim advantage 24-23 in the third quarter of play. The Nighthawks found a buzzer beater from Livesay at the end of the third quarter that pulled North Georgia within five, 46-41.
Livesay made it a two-point game just five seconds into the fourth quarter knocking down a big three-pointer that swung momentum in UNG’s favor and led the Nighthawks to a 14-point advantage in the final period of regulation.
NOTES
– Friday the 13th was kind to Cierra Jackson. The senior got her season off to a great start with her first double-double of the year. Jackson led the team in scoring with 13 points on the night – the only Nighthawk in double figures from the floor – and also collected a team high 13 rebounds.
– The Nighthawks have won nine straight season openers. The last North Georgia loss on opening day came in 2006 when UNG dropped a 77-68 game to North Dakota.
– UNG now holds a 3-0 all-time advantage over North Greenville.
STAT OF THE NIGHT
27-13 – The fourth quarter defined the game and luckily for the Nighthawks, it went in their favor with a 27-13 advantage in the final quarter of play.
NEXT UP
North Georgia will wrap up the 2015 Peach Belt/Conference Carolinas Challenge Presented by Steak ‘n Shake of Dahlonega tomorrow afternoon with a 4 p.m., contest against Erskine.