GREENSBORO, N.C. – Samford freshman guard Claire Johnson scored a career-high 30 points, but the Bulldog women's basketball team dropped a 78-66 decision at UNC Greensboro Saturday afternoon at Fleming Gymnasium.
 
With the loss, Samford fell to 7-16 overall and 2-5 in Southern Conference play. UNC Greensboro improved to 15-6 overall and 6-1 in league play.
 
Johnson, who passed her previous career-high of 26 points set Thursday night at Western Carolina, made 9-of-16 shots from the floor, and she was 9-of-11 from the free-throw line. Johnson also grabbed five rebounds in the game.
 
Behind Johnson for Samford, Emily Bowman and Aubrey Blankenship scored nine points each. Alonya Waldon added eight points, while Kennedy Langham scored seven points.
 
For UNCG, Nya Smith scored 22 points. Jayde Gamble and Khalis Cain added 14 points each for the Spartans.
 
Samford jumped out to an early 8-4 lead with 7:00 to go in the first quarter following a three-pointer by Johnson. UNCG fought back to take a 17-12 lead with 2:08 left in the first period after a three-pointer by Smith. The Spartans pushed their lead to 10 points at 25-15 at the end of the first quarter.
 
The Spartans pushed their lead out to 15 points at 33-18 at the 6:00 mark in the second quarter after a layup by Yacine N'diaye. Samford scored the next four points to cut the lead to 11 points at 33-22 with 4:13 to go after a pair of free throws by Bowman. UNCG led by as many as 16 points down the stretch in the second quarter and the Spartans held a 42-27 lead heading into the locker room at halftime.
 
In the third quarter, UNC Greensboro pushed its lead to 20 points at 49-29 with 7:16 to go in the period after a layup by Gamble. With the Spartans leading, 51-32, Samford went on a 13-2 run to cut the lead to eight points at 53-45 with 41 seconds left in the third quarter following a three-pointer by Blankenship. UNCG held a 55-45 lead at the end of the third period.
 
UNC Greensboro pushed the lead back out to 14 points at 59-45 with 8:03 to go after a free throw by Jaila Lee. Samford fought back to cut the lead to seven points at 61-54. The Spartans pushed the lead back out to 13 points at 71-58 at the 3:47 mark after a three-pointer by Smith. Samford scored the next five points to cut the lead to eight points at 71-63 with 1:56 to go after two free throws by Johnson. The Bulldogs, however, could get no closer as the Spartans came away with the 78-66 win.
 
Samford will return home to play host to Mercer on Saturday, Feb. 8. The game is set for a 2 p.m. start from the Pete Hanna Center.
 
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