GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Presbyterian College women's basketball team (0-1) tipped off the 2026-27 season on Monday night (Nov.2), falling to UNC Greensboro by a 58-50 score at Bodford Arena.
Presbyterian rallied to outscore the Spartans in the second half 36-23, but a 21-point halftime UNCG advantage helped the Spartans hold on. Three Blue Hose players scored in double figures to lead the team offensively. Yolanda Floyd scored 14, while Aretha Linger contributed 12 points. Azjah Reeves scored 10 in her PC debut, also leading the team with two made three-pointers.
Defensively, Floyd tallied a game-high three steals. Linger and Reeves also recorded multiple, coming away with two steals apiece.
As a team, Presbyterian won the turnover battle by a +7 margin. PC also limited the Spartans to just one made three-pointer for the game.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
Aretha Linger drilled a jumper on PC's first possession to open the scoring in the 2026-27 season for the Blue Hose. However, the Spartans followed with 13 unanswered points to take control of the proceedings. Yolanda Floyd ended the run with a pull-up jumper for Presbyterian, and she began to get hot late in the period. Another layup by Floud followed by a layup by Azjah Reeves cut the Spartan lead to 13-8 with just 30 seconds left to play in the opening period. In the final seconds, UNCG made two free throws before Alyssa Febres beat the first quarter buzzer with a jumper to close the gap to five after one.
Second Quarter
UNCG quickly extended the lead to begin the second quarter, opening the period on a 9-0 run. Linger got the Blue Hose on the board in the quarter with a layup. A couple of minutes later, Yasmeen Brightwell made a jumper to score her first points of the evening, but the Blue Hose would not score again in the period. The Spartans went on a 7-0 run to go into the half, grabbing a 35-14 advantage over Presbyterian. UNCG outscored Presbyterian 20-4 in the period.
Third Quarter
Krystal Haddock immediately got PC going in half No. 2, making a jumper. Reeves followed with her first three-pointer of the night to help the Blue Hose inch closer. The Spartans maintained a double-digit advantage before Floyd and Linger began to take over the game. The duo scored six straight points to help PC close the gap to just 10 down 41-31. In the final seconds of the quarter, Haddock drained two key free throws to keep the deficit at 10 going into the final period. In the third quarter, PC dominated, outscoring the Spartans 19-8. Linger and Floyd combined for 10, while Reeves added five.
Fourth Quarter
Floyd continued to produce in the final quarter, making a jumper to get Presbyterian within just seven down 45-38. The Spartans followed by completing a three-point play, but Floyd answered yet again, making her first three-pointer of the evening to keep PC in it. A minute later, Linger cashed in on another layup to keep the deficit at seven. However, the Blue Hose were unable to get closer. UNCG went back up digits with under four minutes to play and did not look back. Another three from Reeves got Presbyterian back within nine with under two minutes to play before the Spartans responded with one more basket. Haddock scored the game's final three points in the last minute, as the Spartans claimed a 58-50 victory.
NOTABLES
- Yolanda Floyd set a career-high on the offensive end, tallying 14 points. She tallied five rebounds as well.
- Aretha Linger was productive all evening for Presbyterian, finishing with 12 points on 6-of-13 shooting.
- Azjah Reeves posted 10 points in her PC debut, going 2-for-5 from three-point land.
- Yasmeen Brightwell powered the team on the glass, grabbing six rebounds. She also led the team in assists with four.
- Floyd led the team defensively with three steals. Reeves and Linger each registered two.
- As a team, Presbyterian turned the Spartans over 20 times, scoring 17 points off turnovers for the game.
UP NEXT
The Blue Hose will remain on the road on Thursday night (Nov. 5), taking on Wake Forest at 6:00 p.m. on ACCNX.
