Spartanburg, S.C. – The USC Upstate women's basketball team staged a late second-half rally against the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles to trail by just four with 49 seconds left, but three Eagle free-throws sealed a 76-69 victory over the Spartans Saturday in Atlantic Sun action inside the Hodge Center.

Upstate falls to 11-11 on the season and 6-5 in league play, while FGCU improves to 16-7 overall and 10-1 in the conference.

Brittany Clency was one of three Spartans to score in double-figures as she compiled a team-high 19 points on 6-of-14 shooting and was 7-for-8 at the charity stripe. Brittany Starling came off the bench to record her seventh career double-double on 11 points and 10 rebounds, and Shelby Hicks added 10 points.

Sarah Hansen scored a game-high 26 points for the Eagles while also grabbing eight rebounds. She was 9-of-14 shooting overall and 6-of-11 behind the three-point line. Katie Meador recorded 13 points off the bench and Whitney Knight chipped in with 10.

Upstate trailed by double-figures for a majority of the second half including an 18-point deficit twice, with the last coming at the 14:44 mark when Kaneisha Atwater put FGCU in front 56-38. The Eagles maintained a lead of at least 15 points after that until the Spartans went on an 8-2 run over nearly a three-minute span to cut the lead to 70-59 after two free-throws by Clency with 4:39 left. Amanda Moore answered with a three to put FGCU's lead back to 14.

Clency led the Upstate charge during the next three minutes scoring five of her 19 points as part of a 10-0 run to trim the Spartan deficit down to four, 73-69, with 49 seconds remaining. Upstate was unable to score after that as Knight and Meador connected on three free-throws to give the Eagles a 76-69 victory.

Hansen scored 14 of her game-high 26 points in the first half as she was 5-of-8 from the floor and 4-of-7 behind the three-point arc.

FGCU opened the game with a 6-2 run as Hansen and DyTiesha Dunson hit back-to-back three's in the first minute of play. Valese McAllister scored the first six points for the Spartans with her third basket tying the game 6-6 at the 17:29 mark. Hansen followed with two more three-pointers to highlight a 7-0 run as the Eagles pushed their lead to 14-6.

Upstate stayed within striking distance and managed to cut FGCU's lead down to one, 14-13, after a three by Toni Romiti and Lauren Bogle's jumper. Clency gave the Spartans the lead back on the next possession, and would later give Upstate a 19-16 lead after her jumper with 13:07 left.

Upstate would be held scoreless over the next 2:40 as the Eagles posted a 14-0 run capped off by three straight three's by Knight, Dunson and Meador. The Spartans were able to get back to within eight points twice, but FGCU would answer each basket with a three to go ahead by double-digits.

Travonda Haddock made two free-throws with 1:12 left to make it 38-28, and Anthi Chatzigiakoumi responded with a three on the Eagles next possession. Bogle scored the half's final points with two free-throws as Upstate went into halftime down 41-30.

The Spartans finished the game shooting 42.6% (23-of-54) as a team while FGCU was 24-of-63 (38.1%) overall.

Upstate led in points in the paint (26-14), points off turnovers (15-12), second-chance points (11-7) and fast-break points (2-0).

The Spartans remain at home next Saturday, Feb. 15 to host East Tennessee State for Homecoming at 4:30 p.m.

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