CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (Interstat) — The Chattanooga Lady Mocs used a dominant fourth-quarter surge to edge the UNC Greensboro Spartans 56-54 in a Southern Conference women’s basketball game Saturday at McKenzie Arena. Chattanooga, which trailed by eight points entering the final period, outscored UNC Greensboro 21-11 in the fourth to complete the comeback. Caia Elisaldez led all scorers with 19 points for the Lady Mocs, adding five rebounds and five assists. Jeni Levine scored 15 points for the Spartans. The victory improved Chattanooga to 18-7 overall, while UNC Greensboro fell to 13-15. An announced crowd of 1,632 attended the game.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (Interstat) — Caia Elisaldez scored 19 points and Gianna Corbitt added 10 points and eight rebounds as Chattanooga rallied from a double-digit deficit to edge UNC Greensboro 56-54 in a Southern Conference women’s basketball game Saturday at McKenzie Arena. The Lady Mocs, who trailed by as many as 11 points in the first half, outscored the Spartans 21-11 in the fourth quarter to complete the comeback before an announced crowd of 1,632. Chattanooga improved to 18-7 overall and strengthened its position in the conference standings. UNC Greensboro fell to 13-15, dropping its fourth consecutive game. The contest was a defensive struggle marked by poor shooting. Chattanooga shot just 35.2% from the field and made only 3 of 15 attempts from three-point range. UNC Greensboro was even colder, shooting 32.7% overall. The Spartans found a slight edge from beyond the arc, hitting 8 of 23, and were perfect on 12 free-throw attempts. The Lady Mocs capitalized more inside, scoring 24 points in the paint to the Spartans’ 14, and won the rebounding battle 38-31, including a 9-5 advantage on the offensive glass. The game’s defining sequence came in the frantic final 13 seconds. With Chattanooga leading 54-51, Elisaldez found Corbitt for a layup with 13 seconds remaining, pushing the lead to five. After a timeout, UNC Greensboro’s Jeni Levine answered with a clutch three-pointer off an assist from Makiah Asidanya, cutting the deficit to 56-54 with seven seconds left. Following another timeout, the Spartans were forced to foul. Elisaldez was sent to the line for two shots with six seconds left but missed the first attempt. On the second, a deliberate miss to run out the clock caromed out of bounds, giving UNC Greensboro one final chance with 0.6 seconds remaining. The Spartans’ ensuing full-court inbounds pass was intercepted, sealing the victory for Chattanooga. The dramatic finish capped a game that seemed firmly in UNC Greensboro’s control early. The Spartans opened the game with a 14-9 first-quarter lead and extended it to 29-21 at halftime, thanks in part to a 15-point second quarter. Levine, who led the Spartans with 15 points and four assists, hit a trio of three-pointers in the first half to help build the advantage. Chattanooga chipped away in the third quarter, narrowing the gap to 43-35 entering the final period. The Lady Mocs’ defense then clamped down, holding UNC Greensboro to 4-of-15 shooting in the fourth while forcing four turnovers. Elisaldez, a 5-foot-5 guard from Whittier, California, took over down the stretch, scoring nine of her points in the final quarter. She finished with a game-high 19 points, adding five rebounds and five assists. Beyond the scoring, Elisaldez’s all-around play was pivotal. She committed seven turnovers but countered with relentless drives to the basket and playmaking. Corbitt, a 6-1 forward from Oakland Park, Florida, provided a critical interior presence with her eight rebounds and the game-sealing basket. For UNC Greensboro, Levine’s 15 points led the way. Rylan Moffitt added eight points and four rebounds, while Tasia Johnson contributed five points, three rebounds and a game-high three steals. The Spartans’ ball movement was superior, tallying eight assists to Chattanooga’s three, and they forced 12 Lady Mocs turnovers, converting them into 13 points. The victory completed a regular-season sweep for Chattanooga, which defeated UNC Greensboro 52-40 on Jan. 22. According to National Statistical’s ELO system, Chattanooga entered the game with an 84.1% probability to win. Both teams continue Southern Conference play next week. UNC Greensboro travels to face Western Carolina next Saturday. Chattanooga visits Samford on Thursday before a game at Mercer next Saturday.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (Interstat) — The Chattanooga Lady Mocs will look to solidify their standing near the top of the Southern Conference when they host the UNC Greensboro Spartans in a women’s basketball matchup Saturday at McKenzie Arena. Chattanooga (17-7 overall) enters the contest having won five of its last six games, including a 52-36 defensive victory over Western Carolina on Thursday. The Lady Mocs are led by guard Caia Elisaldez, who is averaging 20.1 points over her last seven games. She scored 20 points with four assists in the most recent win and had a 27-point, five-rebound, five-assist performance in a double-overtime loss to East Tennessee State on Feb. 14. UNC Greensboro (13-14) seeks to end a five-game skid after a 39-52 loss at East Tennessee State on Thursday. The Spartans have struggled offensively during the losing streak, failing to reach 65 points in any of the defeats. Guard Makiah Asidanya will be a key for a turnaround, leading the team with 17 points in a narrow loss to Furman on Feb. 14. The Lady Mocs won the previous meeting this season, 52-40 at UNC Greensboro on Jan. 22. Chattanooga’s defense has been a hallmark, holding opponents under 55 points in four of its last six victories. A Chattanooga win would strengthen its position for a high seed in the conference tournament, while UNC Greensboro aims to play spoiler and regain momentum in the regular season’s final stretch. Tipoff is set for Saturday afternoon.