Ray shines as Lady Braves coast to consecutive wins

By Brad Crawford
Sports Editor

Before the start of the 2007 season, UNCP junior Natalie Ray was expected to step in and fill the scoring void left by last season’s leading scorer Natasha Stotler and the low-post presence of Sharkeysha Midgette.

Through the Lady Braves first three games, the 6-foot junior has done just that, averaging nearly 18 points and 10 rebounds per game.

Ray fueled the Lady Braves basketball team offensively, helping UNCP win its 2007-2008 home opener Nov. 24 defeating Mount Olive 62-53 at the English E. Jones Center.

Dominant vs. Mt.Olive
The victory now gives UNCP (2-1) an 11-1 record over the Trojans since the 1992-1993 season, piling up a 22-3 record against Mount Olive all-time.

Powered by Ray’s 19 points and eight rebounds, the Lady Braves continued their history of dominance against the Trojans.

Ray notched her second straight game in double figure scoring for UNCP after registering 13 points in a 76-72 season opening loss to Fayetteville State on Nov. 20 at Capel Arena.

Transfer spark
Old Dominion transfer guard, Chevoya Jackson, scored 12 points for UNCP as the Lady Braves trailed by just two at halftime, 33-31.

The Lady Braves defense was able to limit Mount Olive 28 percent shooting in the second half as the Trojans were only able to convert on 8-of-29 shot attempts from the floor.

Deneer Davis’ layup with 16:11 remaining in the second half was the culmination of a 9-0 scoring run putting UNCP ahead to stay as the Lady Braves never trailed the rest of the way.

Davis finished with 10 points and seven rebounds while converting on both attempts from the free throw line.

“I thought we did some decent things defensively, especially in the second half,” said UNCP head coach John Haskins.

“We did some pretty good things offensively, but we just had that terrible stretch in the middle where we just did not execute. We have to be more poised and fundamentally sound when people force pressure like that.”

Mount Olive’s (1-2) Helen Moore poured in a game-high 22 points for the Trojans, on the floor nearly the entire contest. Moore’s fast break layup with 6:46 left in the first half gave Mount Olive its first lead since the opening minutes of the game at 20-18.

First half surge
After jumping out to a 33-18 lead at intermission behind 10 points from Natalie Ray, UNCP breezed to a 64-47 win over Apprentice School Nov. 25, giving the Lady Braves an unbeaten 2-0 record at home this season.

Ray finished the contest with 20 points while senior guard Victoria Willis pitched in with nine points, nine rebounds and five assists.

A total of 12 Lady Braves recorded a point for UNCP with four different players hitting 3-pointers.

“I thought that we were okay for about 30 minutes and then we just lost all concentration and then they started coming back and we started pressing,” UNCP head coach John Haskins said.

“We made some silly mistakes and they made some 3-pointers and, all of a sudden, it was a game,” Haskins added.

Haskins also credited the Lady Brave defense and rebounding advantage in providing a victory.

“We did a pretty good job defensively, as well as rebounding the ball,” coach Haskins said.