By Nicholas Kolsin
The #25 UNCP Women’s basketball season got underway on Friday Night in Florence S.C. in a 60-56 win against the Wingate Bulldogs. This is the first win for new Braves head coach Kendra Eaton.
Stella Mollica would finish her stellar debut for the Braves a perfect 6-6 from the field with 16 points and 4 assists. Zaria Clark had 11 points and 8 rebounds for the Braves in the win.
Hannah Russel won the tip and the Braves season was underway. Zaria Clark hit a mid range jumper a minute in for the first points of the Braves season giving them a 2-0 lead.
Senior transfer guard Stella Mollica got her first points as a Brave on a tough layup through traffic which made the game 7-0 with 7 minutes left in the first quarter. Kelci Adams would hit her first of many threes of the season on the next possession making it a 10-0 run to start the game for the Braves.
Later in the quarter, Kelci Adams and Stella Mollica would hit back to back threes to make it 18-4 with 4 minutes left in the quarter.
The Bulldogs answered back scoring 7 unanswered points making it 18-11 forcing a Braves timeout with 1:25 to go in the first. The Bulldogs would cut the lead to 5 at 18-13 before an Amanda Sacoto putback layup made it 20-13 in the dying seconds of the first quarter.
Back to back layups from Clark and Russell gave the braves a 22-15 lead to open the quarter. With 3 minutes left, the Bulldogs were able to cut the lead to 26-21 on a nice reverse layup. On the next play, Bulldogs Mia Anderson cut the lead to 3 with a layup in the paint. Stella Monica stopped the Bulldogs run with a midrange pull up jumper to make it 28-25 with a minute and a half left in the half. Zaria Clark ended the half with a buzzer beating middy to make it 32-27.
A Hannah Russell backdown layup right out of half gave the Braves a 34-27 lead early. On the next Braves Possession, Stella Mollica hit a deep 2 to give the Braves a 36-29 lead. The Braves showed their toughness on the next play as Zaria Clark took a tough charge forcing the turnover and getting the ball back for the Braves.
The Bulldogs would hit a deep 2 to make it a 3 point game with 7 minutes left in the third. Tiana Spann got her first points of the night with a putback layup off a Braves miss. Kelci Adams would drive to the paint and hit a floater over a defender to give the Braves a 40-33 lead with 5:43 left in the quarter.
The Braves were able to break the Bulldogs full court press out of the media timeout leading to an Anastasia Sinclair driving layup making it 42-33. A Stella Mollica three on a pass from DeNaria Williams gave the Braves a double digit 47-37 lead. Bulldogs Anderson would hit a buzzer beating layup to make it 49-41 to end the third.
After a slow start from both teams, the Bulldogs would pick up the first points of the fourth quarter on a free throw with 6:30 to go in the game. Maya Hood made a layup off an offensive rebound on the next possession to give the Braves a 51-42 lead. The Bulldogs would cut the lead to 6 on an and 1 conversion with 5:45 to go.
Two more free throws from the Bulldogs made it 51-47 with 5 to go. The foul trouble continued as Hannah Russell would foul out with 4:06 to play and the two free throws made would cut the Braves lead to just 2.
Adams hit Spann in the paint to give the Braves a 4 point lead again with 3:40 to play. After the Bulldogs came down and scored again, Stella Mollica would get fouled and make both free throws growing the lead back to 4 with 3:12 to play.
Bulldogs would make a layup with 1:30 to play to cut the lead back to two. Anastasia Sinclair would get fouled in the air with 1:06 to go, making 1 and making it a 3 point lead. Off the rebound, Zaria Clark would get the ball and force a jump ball, keeping possession. Zaria Clark would get fouled on the ensuing possession making both and giving the Braves a 5 point lead with 1:01 to go.
Bulldogs would score on the next possession making it a 3 point game with 45 to go. On their next possession with 15 seconds left, they would get fouled in the air, making 1 cutting the Braves lead to 2. Zaria Clark would go to the line with 13 seconds left, she went one for two making it a 3 point lead.
On the next Bulldogs possession, Anastasia Sinclair would steal the ball and lead a fast break down court getting fouled with 3 seconds left. Making one, Sinclair would ice the game and the 60-56 win for the Braves.
The Braves Women will be back at Francis Marion tomorrow to play Coker University at 1 p.m.