DeLAND, Fla. – The USC Upstate women's basketball team (1-9, 0-1 A-Sun) opened Atlantic Sun Conference play today with a 69-54 loss to Stetson (9-3, 2-0 A-Sun).

The Spartans struggled in the first half, allowing Stetson to take a 34-14 lead into the locker room at the break. Upstate outscored the Hatters in the second frame (40-35), but the first half deficit proved too much to overcome.

The Spartans were led by junior guard Tyra Smith (Lawrenceville, Ga.) with 11 points, including nine of the teams last 14 points. She also handed out a team-high seven assists.

 Upstate sophomore Madisen Webb (Georgetown, Ky.) and junior Tee'Ara Copney (Asheville, N.C.) added seven and six points, respectively, while freshman Briana Robinson (Columbia, S.C.) and sophomore Kim Roach (Columbia, S.C.) each tallied five points. For the first time all season, every Spartan scored a basket in the contest.

The Spartan defense was led by junior Lauren McRoberts (Carmel, Ind.), snagging six defensive boards, swatting four Hatter shots and swiping two steals. This marks the sixth time this season she has led Upstate in rebounding. McRoberts' four blocks matches a career-high she set at UNC Asheville Nov. 30. Copney and Roach each pulled down five boards, while Webb collected four.  

Stetson was led by Sasha Sims with 18 points, while Victoria McGowan totaled 15 points. Cherisse Burris and Ashley Dennis added nine points apiece. Burris, Sims and McGowan all led the Hatters with seven boards each, helping Stetson outrebound Upstate 37-34.

Upstate was 32.7 percent (18-of-55) from the floor and 25 percent (3-of-12) from behind the arc, while Stetson shot 42.3 percent (22-of-54) from the floor and 35 percent (7-of-20) from three-point range. The Hatters outscored the Spartans in the paint 24-20. The Upstate bench scored 24 points, compared to Stetson's 18.

Stetson owns a 5-3 overall advantage against the Spartans, including a 4-1 mark in DeLand, Fla. In the teams' last meeting Feb. 7 in DeLand, the Hatters claimed an 80-76 victory.  In the first contest between the two last season, Upstate dropped a 74-65 decision to Stetson in Spartanburg, S.C.  The Spartans' last win against the Hatters came during the 2009-10 season (Feb. 27, 2010) with an 88-72 mark in the Hodge Center.

Upstate continues its Sunshine State swing, traveling to A-Sun foe Florida Gulf Coast for a 5:15 p.m. contest Monday Dec. 19. Follow the Spartans this season on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.