DAHLONEGA – The No. 7 University of North Georgia women's basketball team opened play in 2025 with an emphatic 76-52 win over Flagler in its Peach Belt Conference home opener at Lynn Cottrell Arena at the UNG Convocation Center Saturday afternoon. 

UNG fended off a second-half comeback from the Saints in its ninth double-digit win of the season to remain 12-0 over all and 2-0 in league play. The Nighthawks have now collected four victories by 20 points or more and stand as one of only three remaining unbeaten teams in NCAA Division II this season. 

UNG's undefeated start through 12 games this season continues to be the second-best start in program history, only behind the 1986-87 team that began the season 14-0. That team from 38 years ago went 27-4 and finished as the NAIA National Runner-Up. 

Saturday's PBC win saw another impressive offensive performance from the Nighthawks in which four players reached double digit scoring. 

Graduate forward Emily Trushel posted her second consecutive double-double with a season-high 26 points to go along with 10 rebounds. In the last two games Trushel is averaging 22.5 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, two steals and shooting 53.3 percent (16-for-30) from the floor and 50 percent (6-for-12) from three-point range. 

On Saturday, Trushel knocked down four triples on five attempts in the first half to close the opening 20 minutes with 14 points while adding seven boards. 

Trushel was joined at the scoring table by fellow graduate guard Caroline Martin who had 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the floor. Martin chipped in six rebounds, four assists and three steals defensively as well. 

As a team UNG tied a season-high with 13 steals against Flagler Saturday. That effort was thanks in part to freshman guard Averie Jones who plucked the Saints four times while adding 15 points offensively for the seventh double-digit scoring game of her career. Jones tied a career-high with nine rebounds as UNG out rebounded Flagler 48-40 in the win. 

Senior guard Ansley Hall also shined on offense for the Nighthawks. She posted a season-high nine assists to contribute to the win. UNG entered Saturday's showdown ranked No. 4 in the country with an average of 18.6 assists per game.

The Nighthawks entered halftime with a comfortable 40-25 lead over the Saints. However, the offense slowed down in the third quarter as Flagler manufactured a 17-4 run over the course of six minutes. With 2:21 left in the quarter, the Saints trailed by just six points. 

UNG ended the quarter on a quick 6-0 spurt of its own. In the fourth, the Nighthawks quickly opened with a 6-1 advantage in the first three minutes, extending its lead back to 17 points. By the 4:09 mark, a Trushel layup paired with an assist from Hall gave UNG its largest lead of the game at 24 points. The Nighthawks would ride that momentum to the big win to remain unbeaten on the season. 

UNG will now face its second road test within the conference on Wednesday when it heads to Milledgeville, Ga. to take on Georgia College. Tip off against the Bobcats on Jan. 8 is set for 5:30 p.m.