Upstate Continues Road Swing Sunday Afternoon at Virginia Tech
12/13/2013 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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Spartanburg, S.C. – The USC Upstate women's basketball team travels to Blacksburg, Va. Sunday afternoon to face the Virginia Tech Hokies at 2 p.m. in the fourth of five straight road games for the Spartans.
Upstate earned its first victory of the road trip on Dec. 7 with a 67-66 victory over UNC Asheville, and enter the weekend with a 4-5 overall record. The Hokies are 7-2 on the season after defeating Michigan State at home, 72-66, on Dec. 7.
The Spartans received double-digit scoring efforts from Brittany Starling, Sharmayne Edwards, Brittany Clency and Shelby Hicks in the victory over UNC Asheville. The quartet became the first Upstate players since Clency, Tyra Smith, Tweety Hawkins and Maddie Herr each had 10 or more points in an 84-66 loss at Stetson on Jan. 12, 2013. Starling finished with a game-high 17 points and eight rebounds, and set career-highs in free-throws made and attempted after going a perfect 9-for-9 at the line. Edwards came off the bench to score 14 points, while Clency added 12 and a career-high eight rebounds. Hicks earned her first double-digit scoring effort of the season after tallying 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting.
Starling currently leads the Spartans this season with 11.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. She is one of two players averaging in double-figures as Edwards is pouring in 10.7 points per contest. Hicks ranks second on the team in rebounding as she is pulling down 5.2 per game.
Virginia Tech is 5-1 at home this season and has won its last two games inside Cassel Coliseum. The Hokies are led by third-year head coach Dennis Wolff. He has coached on both the men's and women's side during his career, and owns an all-time record of 299-259. Wolff is 22-44 during his time at Virginia Tech.
The Hokies currently average 71.1 points per game and is allowing opponents to just 56.3 per contest. Uju Ugoka is one of three players scoring in double-figures this season as she leads the team with 18.6 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. Vanessa Panousis contributes 11.7 points per game while Monet Tellier averages 10.9 per contest.
Upstate and Virginia Tech will be meeting for the second time on the hardwood with the Hokies holding a 1-0 lead in the series. Virginia Tech won the first meeting, 68-62 in overtime, on Feb. 2, 2009 in Blacksburg.
The Spartans wrap up their five-game road trip Saturday, Dec. 21 against Furman at 2 p.m.
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