CLINTON, South Carolina – UNCW sprinted out to an early lead and held off a second half comeback bid by Presbyterian as the Seahawks earned their first road win of the season with a 70-60 victory over the Blue Hose at the Templeton Center on Wednesday evening.
 
The Seahawks, who were playing for the first time since Nov. 23, improved to 3-4 on the season. Presbyterian, meanwhile, dipped to 3-5 after falling for the fourth time in the last five games.
 
Redshirt senior guard GiGi Smith anchored four UNCW players in double figures with 18 points after converting five of nine field goal attempts in addition to a 7-for-10 showing at the free throw line.
 
Senior guard Lacey Suggs chipped in 13 points while senior guard Ahyiona Vason added 12 points. Junior forward Paige Powell completed the quartet after netting a season-high 11 points with nine rebounds.
 
Presbyterian was paced by sophomore Trinity Johnson, who scored a career-high 30 points. The Hopkins, S.C., product sank 10 of 13 shots from the floor in addition to going 7-for-10 from the charity stripe. Senior guard Kacie Hall contributed 11 points in the loss for the Blue Hose.
 
Key Moment: UNCW made 11 of 17 field goal attempts in the first quarter while building a 26-13 advantage over the Blue Hose. Vason scored all 12 of her points during the opening period for the Seahawks, who never trailed in the contest.
 
Game Notes:

• UNCW, which made its first visit to the Templeton Center, now stands 3-0 all-time against Presbyterian.
• UNCW hit the 70-point mark for the third time in the last four games … The Seahawks now hold a 21-3 record in the Karen Barefoot era when scoring 70 or more points.
• The Seahawks' 26 points in the first quarter are the most in an opening period over the last three seasons, eclipsing the 25 points UNCW scored against Hofstra on Feb 1, 2019.
• The Seahawks earned their first road victory since a 66-62 triumph at Charleston on Mar. 8, 2019.
• Smith led the Seahawks in scoring for the sixth time in seven games … She also registered her 35th double-digit scoring output in 37 games with UNCW, including all seven outings this year.
• Vason posted her eighth career double-digit scoring effort … It is also the third double-digit outing in seven games this season.
• Suggs notched her 39th career double-digit scoring performance, including her fourth of the season.
• The Seahawks tallied a season-high 14 steals and forced Presbyterian into 26 turnovers, which UNCW converted into 25 points.
• UNCW sank a season-high nine three-point field goals in Wednesday's victory over Presbyterian, which are the most by the Seahawks since hitting 10 triples in last year's season opener at Ohio.

Up Next: UNCW returns to Trask Coliseum on Sunday, Dec. 8, when the Seahawks welcome Coastal Carolina for a 2 p.m. non-conference tilt.

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