GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Wofford women's basketball team once again found itself in a tight battle Saturday evening inside the Fleming Gymnasium, but the Terriers protected the ball well and utilized a stout rebounding effort to grind out a 55-51 triumph over the UNCG Spartans. Wofford improves to 12-5 (2-1 SoCon) with the result while UNCG falls to 9-9 (2-2 SoCon).
 
"It was just a gritty, tough win on the road against a well-coached, big, strong, talented team that's very physical," said head coach Jimmy Garrity of the win. "Just the grittiness and toughness of our players – because we didn't feel good about ourselves after the Western [Carolina] game - but to come into UNCG, who's playing really well with a lot of confidence and to be able to do the things that we did is just tremendous.
 
"I was really proud of our effort on the defensive end. We got in foul trouble early with Helen [Matthews], and she had to sit pretty much the whole first half. And to have to play small, I thought in the first half to battle and stay in the game was just tremendous."
 
The Terriers shot 31.3 percent (21-of-67) in the game, including 22.2 percent (4-of-18) from three. The Spartans topped both marks at 33.3 percent (19-of-57) and 26.3 percent (5-of-19). UNCG also held a slight rebounding edge, 44-42. Despite this, Wofford secured more offensive boards, 14-10, for a second chance points edge of 10-4. Wofford also won the paint, 28-14.
 
Wofford entered the game committing the fifth-fewest turnovers in the entire country (11.7 per game) and stayed true to that identity with just seven giveaways today. The Wofford defense stepped up to force 15 UNCG turnovers, which the Terriers converted to 11 extra points.
 
"Forty-two rebounds, 14 of those offensive compared to their 10, that's really good," said Garrity of the rebounding efforts. "We won the second chance battle, and then we won points in the paint, and that's just a matter of heart and will to go get the ball. And I thought our kids just did a fantastic job. Also, taking care of the ball – seven turnovers. To go on the road, rebound like we did and to take care of the ball when you don't shoot it great, then that's how you can win that type of game."
 
The Wofford offense was paced by three Terriers in double-digits. Rachael Rose and Helen Matthews tied for the team lead with 15 points each. Rose also led the rebounding efforts with 12 boards, giving her a double-double. It is her third double-double of the season and sixth in her career. Rose dished three assists and recorded three steals, topping the squad in both marks.
 
Matthews contributed five boards as well. The junior got in foul trouble early, playing just a minute-and-a-half in the first half, but it mattered not as she popped off for all 15 of her points in the second half on 6-of-9 shooting.
 
Ja'Rae Smith shined as well, playing a career-high 37 minutes. Smith scored 12 points, a new career high. She added three boards and an assist.
 
"Over 37 minutes she played, she was 5-of-10, hit a big three, 1-of-1 from the free throw line," said Garrity of Smith's career performance. "To score double-digits, and we needed her, and for her to fill those shoes and play that many minutes was just fabulous. Her teammates love her; we trust her as a coaching staff. And when it's your turn to step up, she did a great job of that."
 
Lilly Hatton notched eight points and eight boards to fall just short of a double-double. She also swatted three blocks. Annabelle Schultz netted three points and secured six boards. Abbey Crawford rounds out the Wofford scorers with two points and two boards. Though scoreless, Indiya Clarke contributed four rebounds.
 
Rachael Rose put Wofford on the board first with a paint score, but the squads traded some blows until UNCG utilized a seven-point run to claim a 9-3 lead at the 6:36 mark. Ja'Rae Smith put home a trey at the 3:39 mark to pull the Terriers within two, but a UNCG score kept the margin at 15-11. But Lilly Hatton scored back-to-back buckets to set up an Annabelle Schultz triple, putting Wofford ahead. The Terriers led, 19-15, after a quarter.
 
Lilly Hatton scored first in the second, but UNCG responded with a three. A defensive quarter, neither team could claim much, but UNCG tied the contest with just over a minute left. Rachael Rose put Wofford back ahead with 30 seconds to go, but a jumper in the closing seconds by the Spartans evened the score once more as the squads entered the break tied at 26.
 
After missing the majority of the first half due to foul trouble, Helen Matthews returned to the court to begin the third quarter and immediately made her presence felt with a three-point play. And though UNCG responded with a layup, Matthews knocked down a jumper to keep Wofford ahead by three (31-28). However, the Spartans put home consecutive threes to take the lead, by Ja'Rae Smith scored to set up yet another Matthews bucket, this time a trey, for a Wofford edge (36-34) at the 3:21 mark. The Spartans pulled level with free throws, but Smith and Rose scored to keep some distance. However, a Spartan three in the final 30 seconds kept the margin at a single point, 40-39, entering the final frame.
 
Rachael Rose set a tone 40 seconds into the fourth by popping a three-pointer to extend Wofford's lead. After trading some blows, Rose struck again with a paint score to precede an Abbey Crawford bucket at the 4:33 mark, giving Wofford a 49-43 advantage. But the Spartans fought back to pull even again with 2:48 left. That's when Helen Matthews took over once more, dropping home back-to-back paint scores for a 53-49 Terrier lead with 1:58 to go. The offenses then went quiet until the Spartans scored with 19 seconds remaining to pull within two (53-51). UNCG needed to foul, and Rachael Rose converted one to make the margin three points. UNCG advanced the ball with a timeout off the rebound, but their last-ditch three-point shot missed the mark. Matthews secured the board and iced the game with a free throw to give Wofford the 55-51 triumph.
 
Wofford returns home on Thursday, Jan. 19 for a match-up against Chattanooga. Tip-off against the Mocs is set for 6:00 p.m. inside the Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium. Two days later, Wofford welcomes ETSU to Spartanburg.