Wyant, Jackson Post Career-Highs In Spartans' 81-66 Loss To Eagles
12/1/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 1, 2007
STATESBORO, Ga. - Despite a career-high 22 points from freshman Oceana Jackson (Carnesville, Ga./Franklin County) and 18 points from sophomore Shanea Wyant (Lafayette, Ind./Lafayette Jefferson), the USC Upstate women's basketball team fell to Georgia Southern at Hanner Fieldhouse on Saturday afternoon, 81-66.
"It seemed like every time we got close, they'd hit a big shot," Upstate head coach Tammy George said, "and we'd hang our heads a little bit. The kids did keep fighting and we didn't quit."
Upstate couldn't counter a 25-point game from Tiffany Brown, who posted four of the Lady Eagles' nine 3-pointers in the game. The Lady Eagles (3-5 overall) benefited from a 41 percent (30-for-73) shooting performance while holding the Spartans to a 36-percent (23-for-64) performance.
Jackson, hampered by foul trouble and forced to sit out for the final 16 minutes of the first half, came back to post 22 points and nine rebounds to lead the Spartans (2-5 overall). Wyant posted 18 points. Junior Courtney Bradley (Columbia, S.C./Dutch Fork) posted six points and a season-high nine assists and three steals. Junior Kelly Westfield (St. Petersburg, Fla./St. Petersburg College) added six points and five rebounds, with all but one rebound coming in the first half.
"It was another great game out of Oceana," George said, "in only 24 minutes. We'd like to have her in there for about 35. She's a great player, getting better and better. She just makes an impact in there."
The Spartans scored the first four points, with Hawkins banking a jumper in and two free throws from Jackson, but the Eagles stormed back with the next seven points. The Spartans fought back with a 7-2 run of their own, with Hawkins providing back-to-back mid-range jumpers to help the Spartans take the lead, 11-9, with 11:29 remaining in the first half. The Eagles' Tiffany Brown responded, scoring 12 points in a row for Georgia Southern, including back-to-back 3s to take a 21-15 lead with 8:50 left.
The Spartans answered back, with a dazzling run led by Wyant and Westfield, to take the lead 27-25 with 4:17 left in the first half. Wyant, playing with two fouls, picked up five straight points to bring the Spartans within one. Westfield hit a jumper and Wyant followed with a 3-pointer to tie the game at 25 and a jumper using the glass from Westfield gave the Spartans the lead.
The Eagles closed the half on a 16-5 run to take a 41-32 lead into the locker room, as Elise Whitney capped the run with a 3-pointer and Ashley Melson led the run with seven straight points to start the run.
The Eagles continued the roll in the second half, stretching the lead to as many as 16 with 9:40 left in the half. The Spartans were able to cut the lead to nine at 65-56 after a free throw from Jackson, but a 3-pointer from the corner from Brown helped the Eagles retake control and help them spread the lead back to 15 by the final whistle.
Upstate heads to the College of Charleston next, with a 7 p.m. game scheduled Monday at John Krese Arena.
Notes
USC Upstate is now 5-6 all-time on Dec. 1.
Freshman Oceana Jackson posted her first career blocked shot in the game.
Sophomore Shanea Wyant scored a career-high 18 points, surpassing her previous-best of 15, set at Charleston Southern on Nov. 16.
Junior Kelly Westfield set a career-high for points in her second consecutive game, posting six points. Westfield posted four against North Carolina A&T on Tuesday. She added a career-high five rebounds.
Junior Courtney Bradley is now 13 points away from becoming the 30th player in school history to reach 500 career points.
Sophomore Courtney Hawkins posted her 50th career steal in the game. She also posted eight rebounds for the Spartans.
Sophomore Shanea Wyant scored her 100th career point with a free throw with 8:09 left. She scored a career-high 13 first-half points.
