YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. | Julianne Sutton scored 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead No. 11 University of North Georgia past Young Harris College 70-56 in a Peach Belt Conference women's basketball game Wednesday (Jan. 29) evening between the Blood Mountain rivals at the YHC Basketball Arena.

The Nighthawks improved to 17-2 overall and to 10-1 in the Peach Belt, while the Mountain Lions saw their three-game winning streak snapped as they fell to 12-7 and 6-5. Young Harris returns to action Saturday (Feb. 1) when they travel to Greenwood, South Carolina, for a 1:30 p.m. PBC game against Lander University.

The teams battled to a 15-all tie at the end of the first quarter after Young Harris' Jada Griffin hit a layup with 33 seconds left. North Georgia used an 11-3 run in the latter stages of the second quarter to open up a 38-27 lead after a Sutton layup with 38 seconds left.

A Kyra Davis layup extended the UNG lead to 15 points (44-29) with 7:59 left in the third quarter before Young Harris scored nine unanswered points to get within six (44-38) after a Sarah Woghiren steal and layup with 3:53 to play. However, that would be as close as the Mountain Lions would get the remainder of the game,

Kara Groover added 13 points for North Georgia, while Abbie Franklin added 11 rebounds and 10 rebounds. UNG held a 43-25 advantage in rebounding. Macey Gregg added 10 points.

Niaya White led Young Harris with 14 points, while Woghiren had 13. Carly Winters contributed eight points, while Bria Clemmons added seven points and seven assists.