PEMBROKE, N.C. | Jonissa Monley scored 17 points to lead the University of North Carolina at Pembroke to a 69-62 Peach Belt Conference women's basketball victory Saturday (Feb. 6) afternoon at the English E. Jones Center.
 
The Braves improved to 9-12 overall and to 4-10 in the league while the Mountain Lions fell to 9-12 and 4-10. Young Harris will host Georgia College in a 5:30 p.m. Faculty Appreciation Night contest at the YHC Basketball Arena.
 
Young Harris jumped out to a quick start, taking a 20-10 lead at the end of the first quarter as they limited the Braves to just 2-of-12 shooting (16.7 percent). Keta Robinette sank three three-pointers for the Mountain Lions in the first 10 minutes.
 
UNC Pembroke battled back to tie the game at 36 when Airico Williams nailed a three-pointer with 11 seconds remaining before halftime. From that point, it was a close game as the game was tied eight times and saw six lead changes. Neither team would hold better than a four-point advantage until the final moments of the game.
 
Young Harris would take its final lead at 56-55 on a Jenny Vernet jumper with 5:26 to play. UNCP took the lead for good on its next possession on a Monley layup. Monley added a jumper in the paint and a Jasmine Huntley layup to open up a 61-56 lead with 2:38 left.
 
The Mountain Lions trimmed the lead down to one at 63-62 on two Meredith Tarver free throws with 62 seconds remaining, but that would be the final point scored by Young Harris. After a Monley layup, UNC Pembroke hit all free throw attempts over the final 23 seconds to keep the Mountain Lions at bay.
 
Williams added 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Braves while Mary Robinson added 10 points. Monley also grabbed seven rebounds while Robinson added six more.
 
Robinette led the Mountain Lions with a season-high 19 points while Tarver added 15. Vernet also scored nine points and grabbed nine rebounds.