Upstate Women's Basketball Travels to Take on Tigers at Auburn
11/26/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The USC Upstate women's basketball team (0-5) is set to take on Auburn (3-1) at Auburn Arena Sunday, Nov. 27 at 2 p.m. (CT).
Tiger Tales:
Auburn is 3-1 with its only loss coming at the hands of then-No. 8/8 Duke 73-50 Nov. 18. Most recently, the Tigers beat George Washington 55-47.
AU opened the season with back-to-back wins against Atlantic Sun Conference opponents Mercer and Belmont. The Tigers defeated the Bears on the road 77-43 Nov. 11 and picked-up an 80-53 win over the Bruins in Auburn's home-opener Nov. 15.
Auburn is led by Tyrese Tanner, averaging 12.5 points per game, while Blanche Alverson is putting up 9.8 points per conest. Chantel Hilliard leads the Tigers in rebounding with 5.8 per game, while Alverson is second on the team with 5.3 boards per contest. Morgan Jennings leads Auburn, dishing out 25 assists on the season, while Jassany Williams boasts a team-high 13 blocks.
This is the first meeting between the two teams. The last time Upstate squared off with a SEC team, the Spartans fell to Vanderbilt 88-42 Nov. 16. Prior to the contest against Vandy, the last time Upstate faced a SEC team the Spartans fell 87-53 at Mississippi State in the season-opener Nov. 12, 2010.
Spartan Snip-Its:
The 0-5 start marks the first time the Spartans have dropped their first five contests of the season since the 2001-02 campaign, when they started the year 0-7. That season Upstate opened the season with a 72-67 loss to North Greenville Nov. 16, 2001. In this year's season-opener, the Spartans dropped a 75-57 decision to the Crusaders at the Hodge Center Nov. 11. This is the first time under head coach Tammy George that the Spartans have posted a 0-5 record to start the season.
Auburn is the second Southeastern Conference foe the Spartans face this season. Upstate posted a 88-42 loss at Vanderbilt Nov. 16.
The 91-34 loss at then-No. 20/19 North Carolina Nov. 13 was the first of two Atlantic Coast Conference opponents on the docket for Upstate this season. The Spartans will make the trip from Spartanburg to Durham, N.C., for a 2 p.m. tip-off at No. 7/6 Duke Dec. 11.
The Spartans return six players from last season's squad and welcome eight newcomers. Upstate welcomes five freshmen to the team (Hikeya' Davis, Maddie Herr, Shelby Hicks, Briana Robinson and Paulina Zaveckaite) and a trio of junior college transfers (Hannah Ohl, Erin Pinkett and Tyra Smith).
Upstate is led by Tee'Ara Copney (Asheville, N.C.) with 16.8 points per game and 3.4 rebounds per contest. Sophomore Kim Roach (Columbia, S.C.) and junior Hannah Ohl (Danville, Ill.) are averaging 8.0 and 7.8 points per contest, respectively. Junior Lauren McRoberts (Carmel, Ind.) leads the squad with 7.0 boards per contest, while sophomore Madisen Webb (Georgetown, Ky.) is averaging 5.5 rebounds a game.
The Spartans were picked to finish seventh in the A-Sun Preseason Coaches' Poll and fifth in the A-Sun Preseason Media Poll. Copney was a unanimous Preseason All-Conference Team pick, after averaging 15.1 points per game last season. She also averaged 4.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.4 steals per contest.
Follow the Spartans this season on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
