Spartans Release 2012-13 Women's Basketball Schedule
9/5/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Katie Parker, kparker@uscupstate.edu
The Spartans open the 2012-13 campaign at Big Ten member Purdue Nov. 10 in West Lafayette, Ind. The Boiler Makers reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season, falling to South Carolina. Purdue finished the season ranked No. 13 in the AP Top 25 poll and No. 18 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll.
The tough schedule continues for Upstate as the team embarks on a three-game road swing through the Virginias. The squad tours Norfolk, Va., taking on Old Dominion (Nov. 13) and Norfolk State (Nov. 15), before moving on to Morgantown, W.Va., where Upstate faces Big12 newcomer West Virginia (Nov. 17). The Mountaineers made it to the second round of the 2011-12 NCAA Tournament, where they lost to Final Four bound Stanford.
"We have a very challenging non-conference schedule and I am looking forward to seeing how our team responds to this challenge," said Upstate head coach Tammy George. "We will use these games to help prepare us for our conference schedule."
The team opens its 14-game home slate Nov. 19, welcoming St. Andrews Presbyterian to the Hodge Center. Upstate caps off the two-game home stint, hosting George Washington Nov. 21, before trekking to Lexington, Ky.
In the Bluegrass State, the squad will face off with SEC opponent Kentucky Nov. 25. The Wildcats received a No. 2 seed in last season's NCAA Tournament, where they lost to Connecticut in the Elite Eight. Kentucky wrapped-up the 2011-12 campaign ranked No. 12 in the AP poll and No. 8 in the ESPN/USA Today list.
The Spartans travel to Western Carolina Nov. 27, before returning to the Hodge Center for four-straight home games Dec. 3. The squad closes out its non-conference schedule, entertaining UNC Asheville (Dec. 3), High Point (Dec. 16) and nearby Furman (Dec. 29).
Upstate rings in the New Year, tipping off Atlantic Sun Conference play Jan. 2 by welcoming league travel partner ETSU for the first of 18 A-Sun match-ups. The Spartans travel to A-Sun newcomer Northern Kentucky Jan. 5, before trying their luck in Music City Jan. 7 for a showdown with Lipscomb.
The Hodge Center doors open for Stetson and Florida Gulf Coast Jan. 12 and Jan. 14, respectively. FGCU received the A-Sun's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament last season, after winning the league championship title. The Eagles dropped a 72-65 overtime decision to St. Bonaventure in the first round of the national championship.
The Spartans head to the Peach State to square off with Mercer (Jan. 19) and Kennesaw State (Jan. 21), before returning for a four-contest homestand. The team begins its longest home game span of the A-Sun slate as Jacksonville and North Florida visit the Palmetto State Jan. 26 and Jan. 28, respectively. Upstate then welcomes UNK to the Hodge Center Feb. 2 and LU Jan. 4.
The following week, the squad migrates south for the first of two Sunshine State swings, facing FGCU Feb. 9 and SU Feb. 11, while KSU and Mercer waltz onto the Upstate campus Feb. 16 and Feb. 18. The Spartans travel to Florida to visit UNF and JU Feb. 23 and Feb. 25, respectively. Upstate caps off the regular season at ETSU March 2.
The 2012 A-Sun Women's Basketball Championship will be March 6-9 in Macon, Ga.
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