Spartans, Lady Bucs Ready To Reignite 21-Year Dormant Rivalry
11/14/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 14, 2007
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SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Since the last time the USC Upstate and Charleston Southern women's basketball teams met on the same court in January 1986, both schools have undergone name changes and every single player on the USC Upstate roster was born. So now, the two South Carolina schools will reignite a rivalry at a new level, with both schools now in the NCAA Division I when they take the floor of the CSU Field House on Friday at 7 p.m.
USC Upstate, in its first year of Division I play, competed well in its first two games at Kentucky and Wake Forest, but enter Friday's game 0-2. The Spartans are led on the offensive end by two freshmen, with Oceana Jackson averaging 11.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game and Tiffany Whiting averaging 11 points and 2.5 3-pointers per game.
Charleston Southern will enter the game 2-0 after wins over NAIA-school Southern Wesleyan and Division II Mars Hill. Pam Tolbert has led the Lady Bucs, averaging 16.5 points, 7.5 assists and 6.0 rebounds per game. Tina Decarvalho has averaged 14.0 points and 8.5 rebounds per game and Natalie Caldwell has added 12.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.5 steals per contest.
Spartan Notables
• The last time these two programs met in 1986, USC Upstate was USC Spartanburg (name changed in 2004) and Charleston Southern was Baptist College of Charleston (name changed in 1990).
• Junior Ebony Johnson became the 45th player in school history to pull down her 200th career rebound at Wake Forest.
• Freshmen Oceana Jackson and Tiffany Whiting are leading the team in scoring. The last time a freshman led the Spartans in scoring was 2002-03, when Yakeeshia Ross averaged 11.4 points per game.
• Freshman Tiffany Whiting is currently second in the Atlantic Sun in 3-pointers per game (2.5) and 14th in 3-point percentage (.355).
• Junior Courtney Bradley is 44 points shy of 500 in her career, seven 3-pointers shy of 100, and five assists shy of seventh in school history.
• Junior Ebony Johnson is three points from 300 in her career.
• Sophomore Courtney Hawkins became the 87th player in school history to reach 200 career points at Wake Forest.
