Box Score Box Score (.pdf)
Kennesaw, Ga. – Senior Raven Jefferson became the 17th player in USC Upstate history to score 1,000 points as she scored a team-leading 18 points in a 74-67 loss at Kennesaw State on Saturday.
Kennesaw State improves to 6-16 overall and 5-3 in the ASUN Conference while Upstate drops to 8-15 and 1-7.
Entering the game with 982 career points, Jefferson scored 14 of her 18 points in the second half and reached the 1,000-point mark on a layup with 52 seconds remaining. She is the sixth player to score 1,000 points during the Division I era.
Tamera Thorpe scored 18 points off of the bench and grabbed a team-leading seven rebounds. Brittney Delva scored 11 points and had three assists along with Thorpe.
Kelly Dulkoski led Kennesaw State with a game-high 22 points. Deandrea Sawyers recorded a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Carlotta Giannola added 15 points while Clara Young dished out six assists.
Game Breakdown
- Riley Popplewell got the Spartans on the board with a jumper 59 seconds into the game before Dulkoski hit a 3-pointer to give Kennesaw State its first lead at the 8:26 mark. Upstate would pull to within two, 16-14, thanks to a Thorpe 3-pointer with 1:51 to play. Kennesaw State led 21-14 at the end of the first quarter.
- Following a pair of Giannola free throws that gave the Owls a 23-14 lead, Thorpe brought the Spartans to within four points thanks to a layup and 3-pointer with 8:13 remaining. The Owls pushed their lead to a half-best 10-points, 29-19, on a Sawyers jumper at the 6:24 mark.
- DeNisha Swain's free throws with one second remaining in the second quarter sent the Spartans into halftime trailing by seven, 36-29.
- Delva opened the second half with a layup to bring the Spartans within five, 36-31. The Upstate deficit fluctuated between three and five points for the majority of the third quarter. After Sawyers gave the hosts a 44-39 lead with 3:26 remaining, a pair of free throws followed by a Jefferson 3-pointer as the period expired evened the score at 44-44 heading into the last 10 minutes.
- Sawyers hit a pair of free throws to give the Owls a 46-44 lead before a Jefferson 3-pointer with 8:37 remaining gave Upstate a 47-46 edge. Kennesaw State reclaimed the lead on its next possession thanks to a Dulkoski 3-pointer.
- After a Jefferson layup made the score 53-51 in favor of the Owls, Kennesaw State pushed its lead to seven points following a Dulkoski 3-pointer with 5:40 to play. Upstate would get no closer than five points down the stretch.
By the Numbers
- Upstate finished 43.3 percent from the field (26-for-60) while Kennesaw State shot 38.2 percent from the field (21-for-55).
- Both teams finished with 13 points off of turnovers.
- The teams combined for 53 points in the fourth quarter (Upstate 23, Kennesaw State 30).
- The Owls held a 35-33 advantage on the glass.
- Kennesaw State made 25 of 33 free throw attempts (76 percent) while Upstate converted 10 of 16 free throw attempts (63 percent).
Up Next
- Upstate hosts Lipscomb on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
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