DAHLONEGA, Ga. | Julianne Sutton scored 12 of her game-high 19 points in the first quarter to lead No. 13 University of North Georgia to a 58-44 Peach Belt Conference women's basketball victory over its Blood Mountain rival Young Harris College Wednesday (Feb. 26) evening at the UNG Convocation Center.

The Nighthawks improved to 24-3 overall and to 17-2 in the Peach Belt, while the Mountain Lions fell to 15-12 and 9-10. Young Harris wraps up its regular season Saturday (Feb. 29) with a 1:30 p.m. PBC contest against Columbus State University at the YHC Basketball Arena. 

Young Harris took a 2-0 lead on Niaya White's jumper 28 seconds into the game, but the Nighthawks used a 22-4 run to take control and open up a 22-6 lead on an Imani Arnold layup with 2:10 left in the first quarter.

The Mountain Lions got back in the game in the second quarter as YHC limited North Georgia to five points on 9.1 percent shooting (1-of-11) from the floor. Young Harris ended the second quarter on a 9-2 run to pull within eight points (27-19) at the half.

However, the Nighthawks regained control as they started the third quarter on an 11-2 run to open up a 38-21 lead on a Sutton layup with 4:30 remaining.The closest the Mountain Lions would get was eight points (50-42) on an old-fashioned three-point play by Bria Clemmons with 3:13 to go in the game.

Sutton added nine rebounds, while Abbie Franklin and Abby Hubert had 16 points each.

White led the Mountain Lions with 16 points, while Clemmons and Jada Griffin each added eight. Sarah Woghiren added 10 rebounds, while Griffin pulled down eight. Young Harris outrebounds the Nighthawks 43-38 on the glass, including a 19-9 margin on the offensive end.