DAHLONEGA — Caroline Martin and Lacie McCoy combined for 60 points to lead the No. 6-ranked University of North Georgia women past Clayton State, 106-81, in the Peach Belt Conference Tournament semifinals at the UNG Convocation Center on Wednesday.
Martin set a career-high 35 points and was 14-for-14 from the foul line -- a PBC tournament record. McCoy scored a career-high also, hitting for 25 points and busting her previous record of 15 points.
After a nip-and-tuck first half, the No. 6 University of North Georgia women's basketball team scored 64 points in the final 20 minutes to earn a berth in Peach Belt Conference Tournament title game on Saturday.
The Nighthawks jumped out on a 9-0 run, but the Lakers battled back into the game, never letting the lead get too far out of reach throughout the first half. Every run that North Georgia had, Clayton State found an answer to trim the lead down to a possession until the halftime horn saw the Nighthawks lead, 42-40.
The second half was all North Georgia as the Nighthawks shot over 61 percent from the floor, stretching the lead out to as many as the final 25 point margin.
NOTES
- Martin netted 35 points in the game, matching the single game-high in the conference this season. Her 14-for-14 performance from the charity stripe is a PBC tournament record while her 14 makes ties a PBC tourney record. The scoring output was just two points away from the league tournament record as well.
- McCoy netted 25 points off the bench in 31 minutes of action, by far surpassing her previous career-high of 15 points against Young Harris earlier this season.
- North Georgia's 106 points is the most scored against Clayton State in the all-time series and is the second-most points scored in PBC Tournament history in a single game, falling behind Lander's 107-point outburst in the quarterfinals in 2019.
- There were 53 fouls called in the game between both teams, resulting in 65 free throws. UNG was 31-for-33 (93.9%) from the stripe, finishing just 0.5 percent behind the program record for a single game free throw shooting percentage.
- In the other semifinal, No. 2 Lander defeated Georgia Southwestern, 72-52, inside Finis Horne Arena.
NEXT UP
North Georgia and Lander will meet in the Peach Belt Conference championship Saturday for the second consecutive year. Time and ticket information will be released Thursday morning.
