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Spartanburg, S.C. - Coming off of a 20-win season, its first in 15 seasons, USC Upstate will open the 2010-11 season on the road deep in SEC country when it travels to Starkville, Miss., to take on Mississippi State. The Spartans finished the 2009-10 season with a 20-9 overall record and finished third in the Atlantic Sun Conference. They return a veteran lineup with the A-Sun Preseason Player of the Year, Chelsea McMillan, and the 2010 A-Sun Freshman of the Year, Tee'Ara Copney, leading the way. The Spartans have played a pair of scrimmage games in the preseason. Mississippi State will also open its regular season Friday after taking a 75-42 exhibition win over Montevallo. Diamber Johnson led the Lady Bulldogs with 21 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals. Three other players scored in double figures as well. Mississippi State has just four players who return from last year's team that finished with a 21-13 overall record, a 9-7 mark in the SEC (T-3rd), and an appearance in the Sweet 16.

Fans can follow the action live on the internet in a variety of ways. Free live audio can be heard via the official Upstate Athletics website at www.upstatespartans.com. Live video and live stats are available through the official Mississippi State website at www.mstateathletics.com.

Looking Back At 2009-10
In what was arguably the top story in the Athletics Department last year, the women's basketball team recorded a 20-9 overall record and a 14-6 mark in the A-Sun, good for a third-place finish in the league. Not eligible for postseason conference or NCAA play due to the transition to Division I membership, the Spartans narrowly missed out on a spot in the NIT. Chelsea McMillan was a unanimous A-Sun First Team All-Conference selection after averaging a double-double with 14.2 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. Tee'Ara Copney was named the A-Sun Freshman of the Year after averaging 11.6 points per outing. Upstate opened the conference season with a pair of losses on the road at Stetson and Florida Gulf Coast before winning 14 of its final 18 games to storm to the top of the standings.

About Mississippi State
Mississippi State opens the 2010-11 season Friday afternoon against Upstate. The Lady Bulldogs are coming off a widely successful season, finishing with 21 wins, a third-place finish in the SEC and an appearance in the Sweet 16.

While Mississippi State achieved a lot last year, the Bulldogs will enter the 2010-11 season with little experience. Only four players return from last year's team. Four high school players and six transfers have joined the program looking to keep the Lady Bulldogs at the top of the SEC.

Mary Kathryn Govero is the leading returning scorer. She averaged 11 points and 4.5 rebounds per game a year ago. While she is experienced, she is also the only proven returning scorer. Diamber Johnson (4.1 ppg), Ashley Jones (1.1 ppg) and Danielle Rector (1.4 ppg) each averaged less than five points a year ago.

Mississippi State opened the exhibition season against Montevallo, claiming a 75-42 victory on Nov. 7. Johnson led the way with 21 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals. Porsha Porter chipped in 13 points and seven steals, while Brown had 12 points and seven rebounds. Judith Tabala added 11 points, six rebounds and three blocks. The Lady Bulldogs shot 42.9 percent from the floor, 15.4 percent from the three-point arc and 78.1 percent from the free line in the game.

Taking On The SEC
When Upstate takes the floor at Mississippi State Friday afternoon, it will be the third meeting between Upstate a school from the Southeastern Conference. Upstate is 0-2 all-time against the SEC, losing at South Carolina and Kentucky. The Spartans traveled to Lexington, Ky., on Nov. 10, 2007. Playing against the Wildcat faithful, Upstate battled tough before falling, 74-59. Upstate made the short trip to Columbia on Dec. 16, 2008, and again played tough, falling to the Lady Gamecocks by a score of 71-57.

McMillan Takes Top Preseason Honors
After averaging a double-double with 14.2 points and 10.8 rebounds per game last year, senior post player Chelsea McMillan was named the A-Sun Preseason Player of the Year voted on by the league's coaches. A First Team All-Conference selection last year, she is the odds on favorite to take top league honors this season in leading a veteran Upstate team that was picked to finish third in the preseason coaches poll. McMillan averaged 12.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game as a sophomore in 2008-09, her first season in an Upstate uniform.

Spartans Earn Preseason All-Conference Honors
A pair of Upstate players who earned postseason honors in 2010 have garnered preseason recognition by the league's coaches. Senior post player Chelsea McMillan was named the A-Sun Preseason Player of the Year and to the Preseason All-Conference team. Last year's A-Sun Freshman of the Year, Tee'Ara Copney, will begin her sophomore season with high expectations as a member of the A-Sun Preseason All-Conference team. She ranked second on the team in scoring a year ago with 11.6 points per game. She also posted a team-high 67 steals.

New Digs For Upstate
Thanks to the generous $4 million gift from Upstate alum Mrs. Dodie Anderson, Upstate will play its home games in the newly renovated Hodge Center this season. With the final touches put in place this week, the Hodge Center boasts a new floor, seats, lights, scoreboard and sound system. The women's basketball team also has a new locker room to call its own. Prior to this season, the squad had to share a locker room with the volleyball program. Upstate opens the new Hodge era on Dec. 4 against A-Sun rival ETSU.

Upstate Returns Veteran Group
It would be no surprise to see the entire starting five made up of returning players as Upstate returns a veteran group to the court in 2010-11. In addition to A-Sun Preseason All-Conference selections Chelsea McMillan and Tee'Ara Copney, Upstate returns five other letterwinners from last year's team. The Spartans' three top scorers from a year ago return this season. McMillan led the team with a double-double, averaging 14.2 points and 10.8 rebounds per outing. Copney ranked second in scoring with 11.6 ppg, while junior Kendra Wallace was third at 9.2 ppg. In total, Upstate returns 66 percent of its scoring from a year ago.

Spartans Picked Third In Preseason Coaches Poll
Coming off of a 20-9 overall record and a 14-6 mark in the A-Sun, Upstate has been picked to finish third in the preseason coaches poll. The Spartans finished third last season, but split their season series with Florida Gulf Coast and ETSU. FGCU was picked to win the regular season title, while ETSU was picked second. Both Upstate and FGCU are ineligible to play in the A-Sun Tournament in their final year of provisional status in making the transition to NCAA Division I. As a result, ETSU is the favorite to win the A-Sun Tournament in March.

Upstate Receives Votes In CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Poll
Coming off of a 20-win season in 2009-10 and returning a veteran club including the A-Sun Preseason Player of the Year, Chelsea McMillan, Upstate received nine votes in the CollegeInsider.com Preseason Poll released in late-October. The Spartans were one of three A-Sun schools mentioned in the poll. Florida Gulf Coast, picked to win the A-Sun regular season championship this season, is ranked 14th in the poll, while ETSU joined Upstate as a team receiving votes.