WILMINGTON, North Carolina – Redshirt senior guard
Shrita Parker keyed a late rally by hitting two baskets in the final 1:20 of regulation as UNCW handed Towson its first Colonial Athletic Association loss of the season with a 77-73 verdict inside Trask Coliseum on Sunday afternoon.
The Seahawks, who won for the sixth time in the last seven games, upped their record to 11-5 overall and 4-1 in the CAA. Towson, meanwhile, saw an end to its six-game win streak and dipped to 11-6 overall with a 5-1 mark against league foes.
Parker, who registered her sixth consecutive double-digit scoring effort, scored 12 of her 17 points in the second half as the Seahawks rallied from a seven-point deficit to beat the Tigers for the 11th time in the last 12 contests.
Junior guard
Lacey Suggs paced the Seahawks with a season-high 20 points on 9-for-10 shooting from the field. The White Lake, N.C., product also grabbed four rebounds while playing a career-high 39 minutes.
Redshirt junior guard
GiGi Smith added 18 points, including an 8-for-10 effort at the free throw line, while senior forward
Chinyere Bell nearly recorded a double-double with eight points and a season-high 10 rebounds.
Redshirt sophomore guard Kionna Jeter led Towson in the loss with a game-high 28 points, making 11-of-19 shots from the floor and 4-of-5 free throws. Junior forward Nukiya Mayo added 20 points and seven rebounds.
Key Moment: Trailing by a 72-71 margin, Parker hit a jumper with 1:20 remaining in regulation to give UNCW a 73-72 advantage. Junior
Moriah Crisp drew a charge against Mayo on the ensuing possession before Parker added a lay-up with 34.0 ticks left, upping the lead to 74-71. A pair of Smith free throws extended the margin to 76-71 with 10.8 seconds remaining before Mayo's jumper trimmed the deficit to 76-73, but the Tigers could not get any closer.
Up Next: UNCW ventures north next weekend for a pair of CAA contests. The Seahawks face Delaware on Friday, Jan. 25, at noon before visiting Drexel on Sunday, Jan. 27, for a 2 p.m. tilt against the Dragons.
