GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) women's basketball team will begin its 2026-27 road slate, traveling to Clemson to face the Tigers in Littlejohn Coliseum on Sunday at 2:00 p.m.
Clemson leads the all-time series against UNCG at 6-1 overall. UNCG secured its lone win over Clemson back in the 1999-00 season in a 78-67 overtime win at home. The two teams last faced off on Nov. 14, 2014, in Clemson, South Carolina, with the Tigers controlling the 80-51 win.
The last time the Spartans earned a win over a Power Conference school was in the 2019-20 season when the team defeated Wake Forest, 67-65, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Last time out for the Spartans
- UNCG defeated Columbia College on Thursday night, 72-51, inside Bodford Arena to improve to 2-0 on the season.
- Leyla Minor notched her first career double-double and was two assists shy of a triple-double as she boasted 15 points and career-bests 11 rebounds and eight assists.
- Freshman guard Rose Simpson led the Spartans with a career-best 16 points.
- Kristina Rakotobe notched 11 rebounds and chipped in eight points.
- UNCG led the way in points off turnovers (13-8), rebounds (50-38), second chance points (23-11), bench points (26-16), points in the paint (28-12), blocks (7-1), steals (11-8) and assists (18-6).
- As a team, the Spartans knocked down 12 three-pointers in the contest.
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Scouting the Spartans
- Minor and Rakotobe have both notched double-doubles in week one of the 2026-27 season, sitting tied for seventh in the country with one apiece.
- Rakotobe is pacing the SoCon in rebounds per game (10.5), rebounds (21) and double-doubles (1).
- Minor leads the league in blocks (5), blocks per game (2.50) and double-doubles (1).
- As a team, the Spartans are currently second in the conference in field goal percentage defense (28.5), offensive rebounds per game (16.5), rebounds per game (45.50) and scoring defense (50.5).
- The Spartans concluded the 2025-26 season 14-16 overall and 4-10 in the SoCon.
- Last season was ended in a 62-50 loss to ETSU in the SoCon Tournament Quarterfinals at Harrah's Cherokee Center in Asheville, North Carolina.
- UNCG was selected to finish eighth in the 2026-27 SoCon Preseason Coaches' Poll.
- Head coach Trina Patterson returns for her 11th season at the helm of the UNCG women's basketball team, leading the Spartans to 160 victories during her time.
- The three-time SoCon Coach of the Year, Patterson saw her winningest season as a head coach in the 2024-25 season, leading UNCG to a 25-7 overall record and its second NCAA Tournament appearance in program history.
- The 2026-27 squad features 11 newcomers, including eight freshmen and three transfers.
- Among the returners for the Spartans are Minor, Joelle Davis and Salimata Traore.
- Minor is the returning leading scorer for the Spartans, averaging 4.7 points per game last season.
- Minor and Rakotobe are the leading returners in rebounding after averaging 2.5 boards per game each last year.
- As a team, the Spartans concluded the 2025-26 season first in the SoCon in five statistical categories, including assist/turnover ratio (0.92), assists per game (13.3), scoring defense (56.5), scoring margin (7.0) and turnover margin (2.87).
- The Spartans' 56.5 scoring defense finished 10th in the country last season.
Scouting the Tigers
- Clemson women's basketball head coach Shawn Poppie and Patterson are familiar with each other as Poppie was recently at the helm of SoCon foe Chattanooga women's basketball team from 2022-24.
- The last time Poppie and Patterson faced each other was in the 2024 SoCon Tournament Championship, with the Mocs notching the 69-60 win.
- Clemson comes into Sunday's contest 2-0 overall after a season-opening win over Radford, 68-47, and most recently notching a 76-57 victory over SoCon foe ETSU on Thursday night in Clemson, South Carolina.
- The Tigers concluded the 2025-26 season 21-12 overall and 11-7 in the ACC.
- No. 8 Clemson's season was finalized in a 71-67 overtime loss to No. 9 USC in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
- Clemson was picked to finish ninth in the 2026 ACC Predicted Order of Finish.
- Kimora Fields was selected to the ACC Preseason All-Freshman Team.
- Mia Moore (14.5), Taliyah Henderson (12.5), Mackenzie Nelson (12.5) and Holland Harris (11.0) are pacing the Tigers in double-figure scoring through two games.
- Edie Clark is leading the way in rebounding, averaging 4.5 boards per game.
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UNCG women's basketball ticket information
To hear about ticket options for UNCG women's basketball home games, contact the ticket office to discuss full season, flex plans, discounted group tickets or single-game tickets. For more information, please contact Ashlynn Templin in the UNCG Ticket Office at 336-334-3250 or email antemplin@uncg.edu.
The Spartans will stay on the road, facing Gardner-Webb on Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 6:00 p.m. inside Paul Porter Arena in Boiling Springs, North Carolina.
