WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — The start of the new year continued to test the resilience of the Carolina University women's basketball team as the Bruins returned home Wednesday night, January 7, for a non-conference matchup against Spartanburg Methodist College inside Williams Gymnasium. After opening the year with two road games against top-15 opponents, Carolina looked to regain momentum on its home floor but ultimately fell, 76–70.
Spartanburg Methodist set the tone early, jumping out to a 16–9 lead behind a barrage of three-pointers from Halle Traylor, who connected on four triples during the opening stretch. Carolina weathered the early storm, settling into the flow of the game and closing the first quarter within five, 22–17.
The Bruins responded in the second quarter with improved offensive rhythm and defensive intensity, matching Spartanburg Methodist point for point. Carolina edged the visitors 17–15 in the period, highlighted by strong inside play and second-chance opportunities, to trail by just three, 37–34, at halftime.
Carolina continued to battle throughout the third quarter, keeping the contest within one possession for much of the period. MeiLani Patterson provided a spark inside, while Angelina Jordan and Dearia Page helped steady the offense as the Bruins went into the final quarter down 54–50.
In the fourth, Carolina pushed back multiple times, trimming the deficit to as little as three in the final minute. However, Spartanburg Methodist capitalized at the free-throw line late to seal the victory.
MeiLani Patterson led Carolina with 19 points and a team-high 17 rebounds, recording a double-double performance. Page added 15 points, while Jordan chipped in 12. The Bruins outrebounded Spartanburg Methodist 47–42 and scored 28 second-chance points, but struggled from beyond the arc, shooting 23.8 percent from three-point range.
Head Coach Hannah Latiolais praised her team's fight despite the result.
"I was proud of our effort and our response after a tough start," said Latiolais. "We showed growth, especially on the boards and in how we competed down the stretch. These games are preparing us for conference play, and we'll continue to build from this."
Carolina will look to carry the positives forward as the Bruins continue their January schedule, aiming to turn close contests into wins in the weeks ahead.
