Kennesaw, Ga. – Alex Stanford nearly matched her first performance against Kennesaw State from earlier this season as she scored 22 points to lead USC Upstate past the Owls 90-78 Saturday afternoon in Atlantic Sun action from the KSU Convocation Center.

The Spartans eclipse their win total from last season as they move to 13-12 on the season and 8-6 in league play, while Kennesaw State drops to 6-20 overall and 4-11 in the conference.

Stanford was one of five Upstate players to finish in double-figures Saturday as she went 7-of-12 from the field and a career-best 8-of-11 at the free-throw line. Brittany Starling notched her ninth career double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds while hitting a career-best 10-of-12 attempts from the free-throw line. Shelby Hicks also scored a career-high 15 points, and Raven Jefferson and Toni Romiti each had 11 points for the Spartans. Hicks was also a perfect-6-for-6 from the field.

Kristina Wells had a game-high 28 points for Kennesaw State highlighted by a 10-of-11 performance at the charity stripe. Aareon Smith chipped in 13 points and Gratia Brooks 11.

Starling, Stanford and Jefferson combined for half of Upstate's points in the first half as the Spartans led 48-35 at intermission. Starling was 8-of-10 at the free-throw line for 14 points, while Stanford had 11 and Jefferson nine. Upstate shot 54.8% as a team in the opening stanza.

The Spartans opened the game with a 12-0 run over the first 3:36 as Kennesaw State missed on its initial seven field-goal attempts. Starling recorded six of Upstate's first 12 points including her last one coming at the 16:24 mark to give the Spartans the 12-0 lead. Upstate later extended its lead to 16-2 on Jefferson's layup with 14:46 left.

The Owls cut their deficit down to 10, 21-11, after two free-throws by Wells, but the Spartans answered with seven straight points to take their lead out to 28-11 on baskets by Jefferson, Hicks and Romiti. Upstate kept its lead above 15 until the 7:53 mark when Smith made it 31-19.

The Spartans would maintain their 14-point cushion over the next four minutes. Brooks made it a 10-point game, 45-35, as she was successful on two consecutive attempts with the last coming at the 1:18 mark before the half.  Stanford and Starling combined for the half's final three points to send Upstate into intermission ahead by 13.

Kennesaw State quickly cut the Spartan lead down to 10 to start the second half until Upstate ran off a 16-6 run over a seven minute span to take its largest lead of the game at 64-44 with 11:47 to go. The Owls managed to cut their deficit down to 15 but would not get any closer for the next couple of minutes. A jumper by Wells made it 71-58 with 6:44 remaining.

Deandrea Sawyers got Kennesaw State to within 11 with 2:38 left, but Hicks responded the following possession with a three to give the Spartans an 83-69 lead. Upstate finished the game at the free-throw line en route to the 12-point victory.

The Spartans shot a season-best 54.5% from both the field (30-of-55) and three-point range (6-of-11), and the Owls were 29-of-72 overall for a 40.3% clip.

Upstate returns home for the final time next week as it hosts North Florida Thursday evening at 7 p.m.

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