Nighthawks rally to defeat Georgia College,69-56
Press Release December 13, 2021
DAHLONEGA – After trailing at the half, the No. 4 University of North Georgia women’s basketball team saw the offense explode as they outscored Georgia College Saturday afternoon, 69-56, in the Peach Belt Conference opener for both teams.
Georgia College thoroughly controlled the first half of the game, taking an 11 points lead into the locker room at halftime. UNG responded out of the break with a 15-3 run to take their first lead of the contest at the 5:47 mark of the third quarter at 38-37.
North Georgia finished off the third period with a 29-10 period and finished the game by outpacing GC 19-12 in the final period.
NOTES
– Jamari McDavid came off the bench to record a 21 point, 10 rebound double-double. Both were game highs. Caroline Martin also came off the bench to score 17 points.
– After starting 1-for-14 from distance through 20 minutes, North Georgia hit five of their 12 shots from three point range in the second half.
– UNG punished Georgia College off their turnovers, scoring 26 points off 22 Bobcat turnovers.
NEXT UP
North Georgia will play one more conference game before the holiday break, traveling to Flagler on Friday for a 2 p.m. tipoff.
UNG defeats Union 66-58 in South Regional semifinal
Business, Press Release, Team FYN Sports March 14, 2021
DAHLONEGA – Julianne Sutton scored 30 points as the No. 3 University of North Georgia women’s basketball team took down No. 15 Union in the semifinals of the NCAA Division II South Regional Saturday evening, 66-58.
Union jumped out to an early 8-2 advantage and led 10-7 before the Nighthawks went on an 11-0 run in the first quarter. Both teams traded buckets throughout the second period as UNG led 32-30 at the half.
North Georgia started the second half on a 10-4 run, but the Lady Bulldogs answered at the beginning of the fourth quarter with a 9-0 run to tie the game at 54-54. With the game at 58-56 in favor of North Georgia, Sutton dished out to Abbie Franklin for a three pointer from the left corner that pushed the lead back out to two possessions.
NOTES
– Sutton’s 30 point performance was the third of her career. It’s the 33rd time that she has scored 20 or more in a game, finishing just one rebound shy of her 21st career double-double.
– Union’s Jalencia Williams had her second double-double of the regional with a 25 point, 10 rebound performance.
– North Georgia forced 15 Union turnovers while only committing six.
NEXT UP
North Georgia will take on the winner of No. 5 Lander and No. 12 Valdosta State Monday evening at 6 p.m. with a trip to the Elite Eight on the line.
Nighthawks coast to 106-81 victory in PBC Tournament semifinal
Business March 4, 2021
DAHLONEGA – 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 106-81 win over Clayton State in the Peach Belt Conference Tournament semifinal inside the UNG Convocation Center. In the process, Caroline Martin and Lacie McCoy each recorded new career highs.
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.
Huge Fourth Quarter Rally Leads Women’s Basketball Past Hurricanes, 93-84
University of North Georgia February 9, 2017
DAHLONEGA, Ga. – A 32-point fourth quarter performance led the University of North Georgia women’s basketball team past Georgia Southwestern, 93-84, Wednesday evening at Memorial Hall. The Nighthawks move to 18-6 on the year with a 10-5 mark in Peach Belt Conference play.
UNG led for just under two minutes in the first three quarters and trailed by as many as 14 points, including a seven-point deficit heading into the final period of play. The Hurricanes extended their lead to 13 and seemed to have all the momentum in the game until a technical foul was called on their bench at the 8:02 mark that sparked 14-2 run over the next two-and-a-half minutes to cut the lead to just one point. The Nighthawks took the lead with 1:58 remaining and never looked back closing the game on an 11-2 run over the last two minutes.
NOTES
– Julie McKie led all scorers with a career-high 24-point performance, shooting an impressive 9-of-12 from the field. McKie has scored 19 or more points in three of her last four outings.
– Kelsey Hutchins led the Nighthawk effort off the glass with nine rebounds, just one short of a double-double coupled with her 17 points. Amber Skidgel added 19 points and five rebounds.
– North Georgia completes the season sweep of Georgia Southwestern with the victory after claiming a 78-65 win over the Hurricanes last month in Americus. UNG holds a 20-9 advantage all-time over GSW.
STAT OF THE DAY
24/5 – Georgia Southwestern scored 24 points off of North Georgia turnovers in the first half of play but the Nighthawks made a point to correct the problem in the second half allowing just five points off of turnovers helping turn the tide to a UNG victory.
NEXT UP
The Nighthawks will head to Milledgeville on Monday, Feb. 13 to take on Georgia College in a game that was postponed from its originally scheduled date in early January. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m.
CHAD HAYNIE // Director of Athletic Communications
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA ATHLETICS
Women’s Basketball Overpowers Young Harris, 79-48
University of North Georgia January 30, 2017
1/30/2017 | Women’s Basketball
DAHLONEGA, Ga. – The University of North Georgia women’s basketball team flexed their muscle in Monday night’s 79-48 thrashing of rival-Young Harris. The Nighthawks improve to 16-4 on the season with the victory and are now 8-3 in Peach Belt Conference play.
The Mountain Lions used two three-point baskets to take an early lead out of the gates but UNG would take the lead at the 5:38 mark of the first quarter with a jumper by Kelsey Hutchins and the Nighthawks never looked back. North Georgia doubled up YHC in both the second and third quarters, carrying a 65-33 lead into the final period of play. The Nighthawks led by as many as 37 in the fourth quarter.
NOTES
– Kelsey Hutchins led the North Georgia effort both in scoring and off the glass with 16 points and eight rebounds. It is Hutchins’ 46th consecutive game scoring in double figures.
– Mackenzie Darrah and Amber Skidgel each reached double figure scoring as well with 14 and 12 points, respectively.
– The Nighthawks are now 9-4 all-time against Young Harris and have won the last five consecutive games in the series.
STAT OF THE DAY
34-6 – North Georgia outscored Young Harris by a margin of 34-6 in the paint in the contest.
NEXT UP
UNG will hit the road on Wednesday, traveling to Columbus State for a matchup with the division-leading Cougars. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m.
– UNG Athletic Communications –
CHAD HAYNIE // Director of Athletic Communications
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA ATHLETICS
No. 17 Women’s Basketball Suffers Setback at UNC Pembroke, 79-66
University of North Georgia January 16, 2017
1/16/2017 | Women’s Basketball
PEMBROKE, N.C. – Despite three great individual performances that included two double-doubles, the 17th-ranked University of North Georgia women’s basketball team wasn’t able to come up with a win at Lumbee Bank Court Monday afternoon falling to UNC Pembroke, 79-66. The Nighthawks slip to 13-3 on the year and are now 5-2 in the Peach Belt Conference.
After a close first quarter of play the Braves lit up the scoreboard in the second period posting an eye-popping 28 points and taking a 40-32 lead into halftime. Things wouldn’t get much better in the second half for UNG as some turnovers proved costly with UNCP outscoring the Nighthawks in points off turnovers 24-11.
NOTES
– Jordan Livesay and Deana Blankinship led the team in scoring with 18 points each. Blankinship added a team high 11 rebounds for a double-double, her third of the season. Kelsey Hutchins also posted a double-double with 12 points and 10 boards.
– Hutchins extends her streak of consecutive games with double figure scoring to 42.
– The loss is the second straight to UNC Pembroke for the Nighthawks. The Braves now lead the all-time series, 9-8.
NEXT UP
The Nighthawks return to Dahlonega on Wednesday night as they will play host to the Lakers of Clayton State. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. on Alzheimer’s Awareness Night. Fans are encouraged to wear purple to the game.
– UNG Athletic Communications –
CHAD HAYNIE // Director of Athletic Communications
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA ATHLETICS
USC Aiken Snaps Nighthawks’ Six-Game Winning Streak
University of North Georgia January 10, 2017
Women’s Basketball
DAHLONEGA, Ga. – The No. 17 University of North Georgia women’s basketball team had its six-game winning streak snapped with a 66-62 Peach Belt Conference loss to visiting USC Aiken on Monday evening in UNG’s Memorial Hall. After falling behind by double figures midway through the fourth quarter, UNG put together a furious rally that came up just short.
The back-and-forth affair remained a two-possession game until the fourth quarter when the Pacers were able to surge ahead.
North Georgia trailed by 12, 60-48, with 3:45 to play, but used a 14-4 run over to cut the lead down to a single basket with just 59 seconds remaining. Following a missed 3-point attempt from Jordan Livesay with just 26 seconds left, the Pacers were able to ice the game with a pair of free throws.
Amber Skidgel led the Nighthawks with 16 points while Kelsey Hutchins and Deanna Blankinsip added 14 and 12 respectively. Blankinship added a team best nine rebounds to her stat line.
NOTES
– The Pacers improve to 7-7 overall and 3-2 in PBC play. The Nighthawks fall to 12-2 on the year and 4-1 against conference foes.
– Kwajelin Farrar paced USC Aiken with a double-double of 12 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
NEXT
North Georgia travels to Milledgeville on Wednesday to take on Georgia College with tip off set for 5:30.
CHAD HAYNIE // Director of Athletic Communications
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA ATHLETICS
No. 20 Nighthawks Soar Past Hurricanes, 78-65
University of North Georgia January 21, 2017
AMERICUS, Ga. – The 20th-ranked University of North Georgia women’s basketball team overcame a slow start and went on to defeat Georgia Southwestern, 78-65, Saturday afternoon at the Storm Dome. With the win, the Nighthawks improve to 14-4 on the season with a 6-3 mark in Peach Belt Conference play, snapping a two-game skid.
The Hurricanes got off to a fast start and built a 14-5 lead in the first quarter but the Nighthawks would go on a 10-0 run to end the first period of play with a one-point lead. UNG never looked back leading by as many as 20 points midway through the fourth quarter but Southwestern would finish on a high note to close the lead to just 13 by the final buzzer.
NOTES
– Senior Kelsey Hutchins posted an impressive 26 points in just 23 minutes of play, doubling up the next highest scorer in the game. Jordan Livesay, Amber Skidgel, and Julie McKie each reached double figure scoring on the day as well.
– Deana Blankinship led the team in rebounds on the day collecting nine off the glass in the contest.
– Hutchins extends her streak of consecutive games in double figure scoring to 44.
– The UNG victory snaps a three-game losing streak to Georgia Southwestern. The last time the Nighthawks downed the pacers was Feb. 11, 2015. North Georgia leads the all-time series, 19-9.
STAT OF THE DAY
40 – North Georgia outscored GSW 40-16 in the paint on Saturday.
NEXT UP
The Nighthawks will travel to Montevallo next Saturday, Jan. 28. Tipoff is set for 2:30 p.m., EST.
CHAD HAYNIE // Director of Athletic Communications
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA ATHLETICS
Women’s Basketball Uses Strong Fourth Quarter to Get Past Francis Marion, 63-59
University of North Georgia January 15, 2017
1/14/2017 | Women’s Basketball
FLORENCE, S.C. – The University of North Georgia women’s basketball team used a 7-0 run at the start of the fourth quarter to erase a six-point deficit and never looked back downing Francis Marion, 63-59, Saturday afternoon at the Smith University Center. The Nighthawks move to 13-2 on the season with a 5-1 mark in the Peach Belt Conference.
UNG got off to a hot start in the first period of play outscoring Francis Marion 25-15 in the first quarter. It would be the Patriots with the strong play in the second quarter though holding the Nighthawks to just six points in the second period while posting another 15 to pull within one heading into the half.
Francis Marion carried the torch again in the third quarter outscoring UNG 21-16, but the fourth quarter would be owned by the Nighthawks with the 7-0 run over the first two and a half minutes of the period putting North Georgia up and the Nighthawks would never relinquish the lead.
NOTES
– Jordan Livesay collected a career-high 12 rebounds to lead the team.
– Amber Skidgel led all scorers in the contest with 20 points, her second highest mark on the season.
– Kelsey Hutchins scored 17 points extending her streak of games in double digit scoring to 41.
– The Nighthawks improve to 10-8 all-time against the Patriots after avenging last year’s 10-point loss in Florence.
NEXT UP
North Georgia wraps up the two-game road swing at UNC Pembroke on Monday, Jan. 16. Tipoff is set for 1:30 p.m.
CHAD HAYNIE // Director of Athletic Communications
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA ATHLETICS
Historic Defensive Performance Leads Women’s Basketball Past Flagler, 56-38
University of North Georgia January 5, 2017
Women’s Basketball
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – After scoring just four points in the first quarter, the 17th-ranked University of North Georgia women’s basketball team came to life in Wednesday evening’s Peach Belt Conference tilt at Flagler to ultimately down the Saints, 56-38. The 38 points allowed marks the fewest ever allowed by North Georgia in a PBC game since UNG joined the league in the 2005-2006 season.
The Saints led for nearly the entire first half of play by as many as 11 points before UNG senior Kelsey Hutchins scored on a layup just before the second quarter buzzer to give North Georgia a one-point lead heading into halftime.
The Nighthawks defense remained stingy in the second half of play and would hold Flagler scoreless over the last five minutes of the game as UNG finished on a 9-0 run to take the 56-38 victory.
NOTES
– North Georgia advances to 11-1 on the season with a 3-0 mark in league action, while Flagler falls to 2-8 and 0-3 in the PBC.
– UNG had a pair of players ring in the new year with double-doubles in tonight’s game with Kelsey Hutchins leading the team in both scoring and rebounds with 18 points and 13 boards. Deana Blankinship added an even 10 points and 10 rebounds for her second double-double of the season.
– Hutchins run of consecutive games in double figure scoring extends to 38.
STAT OF THE NIGHT
20 – North Georgia outscored Flagler by 20 points in the paint in the matchup holding a 38-18 advantage down low on the night.
NEXT UP
The Nighthawks will journey up the Atlantic Coast to take on Armstrong State in Savannah on Friday. Tipoff for the game has been moved up to 1:30 p.m.
– UNG Athletic Communications –
CHAD HAYNIE // Director of Athletic Communications
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA ATHLETICS
Hutchins Lifts Nighthawks to Tenth Victory With 75-62 Triumph Over Lander
University of North Georgia December 21, 2016
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CHAD HAYNIE // Director of Athletic Communications
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA ATHLETICS
Women’s Basketball Cruises Past Emmanuel, 65-45
University of North Georgia November 20, 2016
DAHLONEGA, Ga. – The University of North Georgia women’s basketball team continued its hot start to the 2016-17 season with a 65-45 victory over Emmanuel (Ga.) Saturday afternoon at Memorial Hall. The Nighthawks improve to 4-0 on the year with the win.
The game got off to a sloppy start offensively as the first basket didn’t come until the 6:21 mark when EC’s Timia Reynolds scored on a jumper to give the Lions a 2-0 lead, back-to-back field goals by Jordan Livesay in the next minute would give the Nighthawks the lead that they would never relinquish. UNG would carry a 14-point advantage into the half and ultimately win by 20.
NOTES
– Jordan Livesay led all scorers with 17 points and also collected 11 boards for UNG’s first double-double of the season. Kelsey Hutchins, Julie McKie, and Mackenzie Darrah also scored in double figures on the day.
– North Georgia outscored Emmanuel 20-10 in the paint.
– The Nighthawks improve to 10-1 in the all-time series against Emmanuel with the victory.
NEXT UP
UNG will host West Georgia on Tuesday, Nov. 22. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m., at Memorial Hall.
CHAD HAYNIE // Director of Athletic Communications
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA ATHLETICS
Kelsey Hutchins Named Peach Belt Conference Player of the Week
University of North Georgia November 14, 2016
11/14/2016 | Women’s Basketball
AUGUSTA, Ga. – University of North Georgia senior forward Kelsey Hutchins has been named the Peach Belt Conference Player of the Week, the league announced on Monday. Hutchins, who was named to the Preseason All-Conference Team, had an incredible opening weekend averaging more than one point per minute played.
The Lawrenceville native led the Nighthawks to a 2-0 start with 25.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Hutchins became the 21st player in UNG history to go over 1,000 points in her career on Saturday as she scored 21 against Erskine. She opened the season with 30 points on 11-for-19 shooting and eight rebounds in a win over North Greenville.
For the weekend, Hutchins shot 58% from the field and hit 15 of her 16 free throws. More than half of her 15 total rebounds were on the offensive glass and she added three assists. After one weekend, she leads the PBC in scoring and is ranked in the top five in rebounds, field goal percentage and free throw percentage.
The Nighthawks will face Auburn-Montgomery in their home opener on Friday, Nov. 18 at 6 p.m., as part of the 2016 UNG Nighthawk Classic.
CHAD HAYNIE // Director of Athletic Communications
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA ATHLETICS
UNG Women’s Basketball News
University of North Georgia November 13, 2016
Hutchins Scores 1,000th Point as Nighthawks Soar Past Erskine
DUE WEST, S.C. – University of North Georgia senior Kelsey Hutchins crossed the her 1,000th career point mark in the Nighthawks’ 84-65 victory over Erskine Saturday night at the Peach Belt/Conference Carolinas Challenge hosted by Erskine. UNG moves to 2-0 on the young season after sweeping the competition at the tournament.
Erskine opening the game with a quick three pointer but the Nighthawks would take the lead less than two minutes into the game with a Jordan Livesay jumper in the paint and UNG never looked back outscoring the Flying Fleet 22-14 in the first quarter of play and taking a 48-27 lead into intermission.
The third and fourth quarters proved to be more competitive and although Erskine outscored North Georgia in the second half, the Flying Fleet couldn’t find an extended run to chip away at the big North Georgia lead, resulting in the 19 point defeat.
NOTES
– Kelsey Hutchins becomes the 21st player in North Georgia history to score 1,000 points in her career in Dahlonega, the last coming last year in former teammate Cierra Jackson. Hutchins also scored 180 points as a freshman at Faulkner State before transferring to North Georgia, although they do not count towards her NCAA-career total.
– Hutchins teamed up with newcomer Mackenzie Darrah to lead the team with 21 points each. It was the second consecutive night that the senior forward averaged more than a point per minute played. Hutchins led the team in rebounds as well with seven on the night.
– The win marks the fourth consecutive year that UNG has started out the season 2-0. Last season the Nighthawks reeled off six straight wins to start the season.
NEXT UP
North Georgia will return to Dahlonega for their home opener next weekend hosting the UNG Nighthawk Classic on Nov. 18 – 19. The Nighthawks will face Auburn-Montgomery on Friday, Nov. 18 at 6 p.m., and Emmanuel (Ga.) on Saturday, Nov. 19 at 4 p.m.
Hutchins Hangs 30 in Season Opener; Nighthawks Down North Greenville, 73-46
DUE WEST, S.C. – Senior forward Kelsey Hutchins scored 30 points leading the University of North Georgia women’s basketball team to a 73-46 season-opening victory over North Greenville Friday evening in the Peach Belt/Conference Carolinas Challenge. It is the 10th consecutive season opening win for head coach Buffie Burson‘s program.
After North Greenville took an early lead, the two teams went back and forth until UNG went on a 9-0 run late in the second quarter to carry a 31-23 lead into the half. The Nighthawks had a nine point advantage in the third quarter and edged out North Greenville by 10 points in the fourth to close out the impressive season-opening performance, 73-46.
Hutchins was the only Nighthawk in double digits on the night with her incredible 30 point performance in just 24 minutes of play. The next highest scorer was freshman Alli Jones with seven. Hutchins lead UNG off the glass as well with eight rebounds on the night.
North Georgia will wrap up the PBC/CC Challenge tomorrow facing host, Erskine tomorrow, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m.