GREENSBORO, N.C. –   Rachel Gordon had her second double-double of the season with 15 points and 16 rebounds but it was not enough as Norfolk State fell to UNC Greensboro, 71-63, at Fleming Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon.  NSU falls to 1-8 overall while UNCG improves to 2-6.

Kashay Barnes tallied 11 points, five assists and three steals for NSU while Brown and Aivah Parham added nine points each for the Spartans.  NSU was held to 34.2-percent shooting while UNCG shot 36.4 percent.  NSU won the rebounding battle 51-39.

UNCG's Lucy Mason led all scorers with 22 points and capped a 6-2 run for the Spartans as she drained a 3-pointer with 17:52 to go in the first half to keep UNCG ahead of NSU, 6-2.

A layup by Quineshia Leonard with 14:05 left before halftime gave the Spartans an 8-7 lead over UNCG.

From there UNCG's Ebona Goins' layup sparked a 5-2 run with 12:42 remaining in the first half.

Gordon, who paced NSU with nine points and 11 rebounds in the first 20 minutes, nailed a jumper with 9:27 to go before halftime to give NSU a 17-13 lead over UNCG.

However the Spartans of UNCG would not go away as Ciara Morris hit a jumper with 7:58 in the first half to tie NSU, 19-19.

Senior guard Recca Trice would also drill a jumper with 6:32 to go to lead NSU over UNCG, 25-19.

UNCG continued to as Jarae Savage and Ciara Morris hit jumpers back to back to overtake NSU, 26-25 with 3:33 remaining before halftime.

Ebony Brown nailed a jumper with 39 seconds left to send NSU into halftime trailing UNCG, 34-29.

NSU came out hot the second half as Brown drained a 3-pointer with 16:49 remaining in regulation to cap an 11-2 run as NSU led UNCG, 40-38.

UNCG responded as Mason nailed a jumper to spark an 11-2 run as UNCG retook the lead, 49-42 with 13:49 left in the second half.

NSU would tie the game for the final time, 52-52, with 9:13 on the clock with a layup by Tamara Majette.

The Spartans of UNCG went on a 13-7 run with 3:15 left to keep the lead over NSU, 65-59.

Gordon and Majette scored the last four points for the Spartans but it was not enough to overtake UNCG.

Aside from Mason, UNCG had three other players in double-figures including Ciara Morris, who had 12 points and seven rebounds.  Janae Stevenson had 11 while Jarae Savage had 10 points.

The Spartans will play Chowan in their final home game of 2012 on Wednesday, Dec. 19 at Joseph Echols Hall.  The game begins at 6 p.m.