University of Tennessee at Chattanooga freshman Brooke Burns scored the nets Thursday night at the U.S. Cellular Center, but it would be enough as the Mocs fell 70-66 to UNCG in the opening round of the Southern Conference Tournament in Asheville, N.C.
Burns scored a career-high 36 points in the loss and was the only UTC player in double figures. She scored the game-tying layup as time ran out in regulation and had Chattanooga’s final 25 points. She was 5-of-11 from the 3-point line and 5-of-7 from the free throw line, missing her final two in overtime.
The Mocs trailed the Spartans 45-34 with 1:33 remaining in the third quarter.
Shelbie Davenport sparked a 17-0 run with a 3-pointer with 1:24 in the frame to make it 45-37. Burns drove the lane for a layup in the final minute of the period to make it 45-39 in favor of UNC
Freshman Bria Dial, making her 10th start in her rookie season, started the fourth with a pair of free throws digging into the UNCG lead. Burns knocked down a long range shot to get the Mocs to within a point, 45-44, midway through the final quarter. Arianne Whitaker’s layup less than 30 seconds later gave UTC a 46-45 lead with 5:28 left in regulation. Molly Melton drilled a 3-pointer from the top right side to stretch the lead and Burns made a pair of free throws to give UTC its largest lead of the game, 51-45 with 3:22 to play.
The Spartans kicked off an 8-0 run to retake the lead, 53-51, with seven seconds on the clock. Chattanooga put the ball in Burns hands as time wound down and she did not disappoint, hitting a layup as time ran out to force overtime.
Burns scored all 13 of Chattanooga overtime points. She was 2-of-3 in the first overtime from the field with one 3-pointer and was 3-of-5 from the free throw line. Burns drove the lane with four seconds to play in overtime and was fouled as her shot fell through, tying the game again 60-60, but she would miss the potential game-winning free throw sending the game into a second overtime.
UNCG’s Mangela Ngandjui made a trey to start of the second overtime, giving the Spartans a 63-60 lead. The Mocs responded with back-to-back 3-pointers from Burns to put the Mocs out front 66-63 with 1:44 to play.
However, UNCG scored the final seven points, including a pair of free throws by all-conference performer Nadine Soliman, for her only two points of the game. Ngandjui made another 3-pointer to tie the game and Brandi Fier’s layup and Soliman’s free throws sealed the win.
In the final minute, the Mocs turned the ball over and missed three shots in the last six seconds.
Aryanna Gilbert scored nine points and pulled down 12 rebounds, one shy of her career-high, and had three assits. Arianne Whitaker had nine rebounds, five steals and five blocked shots in the effort. Gilbert and Burns played all 50 minutes and Whitaker was on the floor for 46.
Chattanooga was 24-of-64 for the game and 10-of-28 from the 3-point line but made just 8-of-13 from the free throw line. The Mocs were outrebounded 45-38 and had nine blocked shots.
UNCG was led by Ije Ajemba with 13 points and 15 rebounds. She was joined in double figures by Ngandjiu with a team-best 18 points and 16 from Alexus Willey. The Spartans were 27-of-70 (38.6%) from the field and 7-of-13 from the 3-point line while making 9-of-14 from the free throw line.
Chattanooga closes out the year at 17-12 overall and the Spartans are 13-17 on the year and will take on East Tennessee State in the semifinal Friday afternoon.