DAHLONEGA – The No. 5 University of North Georgia (UNG) women's basketball team took down Lander 90-75 in front of a blacked out crowd at Lynn Cottrell Arena inside the UNG Convocation Center Wednesday night. Celebrating its annual "Black Out" game, the Nighthawks donned some crisp new black and blue uniforms as they moved to 14-1 overall and 4-1 in Peach Belt Conference on the season. 

The Nighthawks dominated the first half, specifically in the second quarter. UNG ended the frame by out-scoring Lander 19-7 in the final four minutes before halftime. Graduate forward Emily Trushel helped her team to a 47-28 lead behind a stellar performance in the first half. Trushel closed at halftime with nine points, four rebounds, five assists and two steals while only missing one shot from the floor. 

Lander tightened things in the third quarter, but not before freshman guard Averie Jones and the Nighthawks began to pull away. Jones scored eight points in the third quarter which included a pair of three-pointers. She stayed hot in the fourth quarter as well as she went 3-for-3 from deep range to bolster her career night.  Jones finished the night with a career-high seven made three pointers. That mark is tied for the third most threes in a single game in the NCAA era (2005) of UNG women's basketball history. It's the most made threes in a game since Josie Earnhardt knocked down 10 triples on Nov. 22, 2022.

The freshman did more than just knock down threes on Wednesday. She did a little bit of everything, finishing the night with a career-high 28 points to go along with four rebounds, one assist and three steals.

By the time Jones and the Nighthawks were all said and done, they had completed a 90-75 dismantling of Lander.

Jones was joined by highlight performances from Trushel, graduate guard Caroline Martin and senior guard Ansley Hall.

Had Trushel not fouled out early in the fourth quarter, she would have had a great opportunity at the first triple-double in the NCAA era for the Nighthawks. Instead, Trushel finished the night with nine points, five rebounds and a season-high eight assists.

Martin got back to her high scoring ways with another double-digit performance as she posted 18 points with four rebounds and three assists. As has been the case all season long, Martin made her money at the free throw line going 7-for-8 at the stripe. The Cumming, Ga. native is now shooting 81.8 percent on free throws this year. 

Hall had 18 points on 5-of-10 shooting which included a pair of triples. She also added seven assists and a career-high five steals. Hall is now the third Nighthawk (Martin, Jones) to record five or more steals in a game this season. As a team, UNG poked 11 steals leading to 20 points off 23 Lander turnovers. It's the sixth time this season the Nighthawks have recorded double-digit steals in a game. 

To go along with the team's magnetism to the ball on defense, Burson's players seemingly didn't want the ball on offense, instead electing to get other teammates involved. With four players with three or more assists, the Nighthawks recorded a season high 26 assists on 30 made field goals in the win. It's the most assists UNG has had in a game since the team broke the single-game program record with 36 assists against USC Beaufort on Jan. 20, 2024 last season.

UNG gets back in action this weekend on the road in Bluffton, S.C. against USC Beaufort. Tip off against the Sand Sharks on Jan. 18 is set for 3:30 p.m.