BOILING SPRINGS,N.C. – UNCW women’s basketball saw a furious comeback fall short Wednesday night,dropping a 65-56 nonconference decision too Gardner-Webb at Paul Porter Arena. The Seahawks nearly erased a 13-point third-quarter deficit but were ultimately undone by a season-high 31 turnovers.
the loss moves UNCW to 1-3 on the season, while Gardner-Webb improves to 2-4. This game marked an early-season test for the Seahawks, who are working to build momentum under head coach Tina Langley. UNCW will return home for a Friday matchup against Presbyterian, seeking to translate lessons learned from this road contest into a victory at Trask Coliseum.
Junior guard Paige Smith led all scorers with 25 points, shooting an extraordinary 9-for-13 from the field and 7-for-11 from three-point range. Her seven made three-pointers rank as the third-most in a single game in UNCW program history.
Kylah Silver contributed 11 points and eight rebounds for the Seahawks, while Kate Hollifield, a Shelby, North Carolina native, added eight points, four rebounds, and four assists.
UNCW started strong, racing to an 8-0 lead in the opening minutes. Though, Gardner-Webb responded, taking a 31-26 advantage into halftime. The Runnin’ Bulldogs extended their lead to 42-29 midway through the third quarter.
The seahawks ignited a comeback late in the third, closing the quarter on an 8-0 run capped by a Smith three-pointer as time expired. Smith continued her hot streak into the fourth, hitting another three to cut the deficit to 42-40. Her fifth three-pointer of the night brought UNCW within one, 46-45, with 8:24 remaining.
Gardner-Webb regained control with a defensive stand, holding UNCW scoreless for over five minutes until Hollifield converted a pair of free throws, making the score 50-47 with 3:08 left. The Runnin’ Bulldogs closed the game on a 15-9 run to secure the win.
Gardner-Webb capitalized on UNCW’s turnovers, converting them into 27 points. The Runnin’ Bulldogs also held a significant 34-12 edge in points in the paint. Amira Ofunniyin paced Gardner-Webb with 19 points and eight rebounds, while Amina Gray added 16 points and six rebounds.
UNCW will host Presbyterian on Friday at 11 a.m.in the Seahawks Tomorrow Game. The Seahawks defeated Presbyterian 78-74 in overtime last season.
