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11/16/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 16, 2008
ASun.TV | Gametracker
Complete Montreat Game Notes in PDF Format 
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - With its win on Saturday night at Presbyterian, the USC Upstate women's basketball team won its first Division I season opener. On Monday night, it will try to win its first home opener at the Division I level when it hosts Montreat at 7 p.m. on Monday at the Hodge Center.
The Spartans (1-0) had an impressive 15-rebound and 10-steal advantage over the Blue Hose in the season opener. They also got a welcomed scoring complement to defending A-Sun scoring champion Courtney Hawkins (14 points) in sophomore transfer Chelsea McMillan, who led Upstate with 16 points and nine rebounds. In all, the Spartans had nine players contribute to the scoring.
The Cavaliers (2-0) have been just as impressive in their first two games, playing against NAIA schools, Toccoa Falls and Southern Wesleyan. Leading the way is Chazaree Wright, who is averaging 21 points and 12.5 rebounds per game on the high-scoring Cavaliers, who are averaging 94.0 points per game.
• The Spartans are 24-9 all-time in home openers, with all 33 occurring in the Hodge Center.
• Upstate is 0-1 in home openers as a DI school, falling to IUPUI, 65-56, on Nov. 21, 2007.
• This is Upstate's first game against a NAIA opponent since a 65-50 win over Allen on Dec. 10, 2001.
• Junior Courtney Hawkins is currently 19th on the Upstate all-time scoring list with 677 points. She needs 23 points to become the 19th player in school history to reach 700 career points.
• Sophomore Chelsea McMillan posted 16 points in her debut as a Spartan, the most since Kianna Smith scored 23 in her debut in 2006.
• In their first game of the season, Upstate posts accounted for 31 of 63 (49 percent) of the points. In 2007-08, the Spartans posts scored 26 percent of their points.
• Junior Courtney Hawkins posted her second career double-double, 632 days after her first, with 14 points and 10 rebounds at Presbyterian.
• Senior Ebony Johnson needs just 18 rebounds to reach 400 in her career.
