>>>Full Notes

THE GAME

The No. 24 Georgia College women's basketball team (11-2, 4-2 PBC) travels to Dahlonega, Ga. to face No. 19 University of North Georgia (11-1, 5-0 PBC) in a West-division battle in the Peach Belt Conference (PBC) Wednesday, Jan. 15 at 5:30 p.m. The game pits the PBC's only two teams with overall double-digit wins this season. The Nighthawks are the only undefeated team in conference play and the Bobcats hope to avenge an earlier home loss to them, 72-86. GC Hall of Fame Broadcaster Scott MacLeod and sports information assistant Mark Jagord will have the call on Country 102.3FM. 

SERIES HISTORY

The Nighthawks hold the all-time edge over the Bobcats, 35-23. The teams have already met this season with UNG taking an 86-72 win in Milledgeville, Ga. on Jan. 4. This will be the second and last meeting between the teams during the regular season. 

LAST TIME OUT FOR THE 'CATS 

The Bobcats lost an overtime thriller to Young Harris (9-3, 4-1 PBC), 60-55 Saturday afternoon at the Centennial Center. It was the team's first loss since breaking into the USA TODAY Sports NCAA Division II Top-25 Coaches' Poll at No. 22. 

Senior Thresia Elskamp sank a three-pointer with 32 seconds left to force the extra session. For the night, Elskamp was 2-for-2 beyond the arc, finishing with eight points and two steals. Freshman LaRice Walker gave the Bobcats a two-point lead with a layup at 2:16 remaining, but the Mountain Lions went on a five-point run before Elskamp tied the contest in the final minute. 

Junior Enisha Donley led the team in scoring (12) and rebounds (eight), while junior Shanteona Keys added 10 points, seven boards, and three assists. Sophomore Kayla Upchurch matched a season-high at seven points in 12 minutes. 

Both teams were nearly identical in their shooting from the floor, with the Bobcats hitting close to 36 percent (22-of-62) and the Mountain Lions over 34 percent (21-of-61). Young Harris was better at the charity stripe going nearly 71 percent (17-of-24) as opposed to the Bobcats' 60 percent (6-of-10). Georgia College attempted 17 more threes converting five. 

The Bobcats seemed in control in the first half and only trailed for 38 seconds, but ended up losing their lead at the intermission when Lauren Smith's layup at the buzzer gave the Mountain Lions a 24-23 lead. 

Georgia College looked in control again in the second half when an Upchurch jumper gave the Bobcats a 40-39 lead that started a 7-1 run. The Mountain Lions climbed back to tie the contest at 47 apiece with under three minutes before Walker would give the Bobcats their last lead at 49-47. 

SCOUTING THE NIGHTHAWKS

UNG enters Wednesday's action as one of four new teams to the USA TODAY Sports Division II Top-25 Coaches' Poll and on a nine-game winning streak that began with a pair of November wins in the Nighthawk Classic. 

The Nighthawks are led offensively by Mimi Hill, this week's PBC AstroTurf Player of the Week. Hill stepped into the leadership role for the Nighthawks in a big way last week, averaging 33 points and 7.5 rebounds per game in two wins.  The senior scored 30 with seven rebounds at Montevallo, then caught fire for 36 points and eight boards against No. 19 Clayton State.  Hill shot 58 percent from the floor in the two games (22-38) and hit 60 percent of her three-pointers.  Against the Lakers, she hit 11-of-17 shots from the floor, four of five three-pointers and all 10 of her free throws, shooting 94 percent from the line on the week.  Hill is now second in the PBC in scoring with 21.4 ppg; she also leads the league in three-point field goal percentage (.478) and free throw percentage (.889). 

LAST TIME AGAINST UNG

The GC women's basketball team (10-1, 3-1 PBC) had its second-best win streak in school history snapped at home by the visiting Nighthawks (9-1, 3-1 PBC), 86-72 Jan. 4. The 10-consecutive wins ranked second in both consecutive wins and wins from the start of a season, falling one win short of tying the 2003-04 team. The Bobcats were one of 10 undefeated NCAA Divison II women's teams at the start of the contest. 

The highly-explosive Nighthawk team stormed out of the gate with a 9-0 run and never looked back. The Bobcats had an impressive 12-point run of their own late in the first half that brought them within three at 23-20, but that was as close as they would get. Trailing by double-digits almost the entire second half, the Bobcat rally came within eight points in the final minute of play at 80-72. The contest may have been decided at the charity stripe where North Georgia shot 90 percent and scored nine more points. 

Georgia College had five double-digit scorers. Junior Enisha Donley led the team with 16 points. Donley has either led or co-led the team in scoring the last five outings. Senior Thresia Elskamp was one board shy of a double-double with nine, while adding 15 points and four steals. Freshman LaRice Walker, senior Brandi McKinney, and junior Shanteona Keys added 10 points apiece.

The Nighthawks were led by Mimi Hill (21 points)and Cierra Jackson (20 points), who picked up for the loss of former NCAA Division II Player of the Year Jaymee Carnes after she left the game with an injury. Stephanie Huffman recorded a double-double with 18 points and 16 boards. 

MILESTONE WATCH

Shanteona Keys picked up her 1,027th point in the loss against Young Harris  Jan. 11. She had 413 points her freshman year and 438 as a sophomore, and now needs 69 points to tie Allison Barry (1,096 career points) at No. 13 on the all-time career scoring list. Sherita Ballard (87-91) holds the record for career points with 1,819.  Keys has also made 333 career free-throws, just three from the school's No. 7- currently held by Beth Heyer (1997-01) at 236. Keys also has made 112 career threes, and is 13 threes away from tying No. 10 Karen Nunn (1989-93) at 125. 

Senior Abby Slocumb is eight blocks away from tying No. 5 Marquita Driskell (05-07) at 91 blocks on the career all-time list. Alicia Wilson (94-97) is at No. 4 with 93, while Dalana Watson (99-03) and Ashley Williams (04-08) are tied-second with 94. Antoinette Reames (08-10) holds the school record for blocks with 140. 

PULL-UP JUMPERS

~ GETTING DEFENSIVE: The Bobcats have put forth a solid defensive effort thus far, ranking second in the PBC by allowing just 59.5 points per game. They're first in the PBC in opponent field-goal percentage (.359) and second in three-point shooting percent against (.263). The Bobcats have also been strong along the glass. They're first in the PBC in rebounds at 43.1 per game, and first in defensive boards with 30.5 per game. 

UP NEXT

The Bobcats host GRU Augusta on Monday, Jan. 20th for a PBC tilt at 5:30 p.m.