SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The USC Upstate women's basketball team ended a four game losing streak on Saturday afternoon with a 72-67 victory over Longwood inside the G.B. Hodge Center.

With the win the Spartans improve to 6-12 overall and 2-5 in Big South play. Longwood on the other sees their losing streak extend to 14. The Lancers record is now 1-16 overall and 0-7 in the Big South Conference.

A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS

• USC Upstate is now 1-0 in Blackout games played inside the G.B. Hodge Center. Prior to Saturday's win the Spartans were 0-5 when wearing black jerseys.
• The Spartans have now won seven consecutive games against Longwood, dating back to the 1989-1990 season. USC Upstate is now 4-0 all-time against Longwood inside the G.B. Hodge Center.
• Four Spartans reached double-figures for the first time since the N.C. Central game. Brianna Lewis led the team for a third straight game with 16 points, DeNisha Swain added 15 points, Riley Popplewell had 14 points and Michaela Gibbons contributed 12 points.
• USC Upstate had two players finish the game with a double-double. Popplewell collected her eighth career double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds. The junior out of Indiana had a career high 11 offensive rebounds and a career high six steals. Gibbons recorded her second career double-double with 12 points and a career high 12 rebounds.
• The Spartans out rebounded Longwood 47-44 and forced 23 Lancer turnovers. USC Upstate also had 19 assists in the victory.
• USC Upstate scored 20 points off of turnovers and 17 points from second chance opportunities.
• Longwood's Dayna Rouse recorded a double-double with a game high 31 points and 12 rebounds.
• Longwood shot 44 percent from the field, 35 percent from three-point range and 66 percent from the free throw line.
• USC Upstate shot 35 percent from the field, 29 percent from three-point range and 58 percent from the free throw stripe.

FIRST QUARTER BREAKDOWN

• Popplewell scored the Spartans opening points at the 9:25 mark of the game.
• Swain scored back-to-back buckets with 6:06 to go in the opening quarter to give USC Upstate a five point advantage.
• Mallory O'Dell scored a layup at the 4:04 mark of the quarter to tie the game at 12.
• The two teams entered the second quarter tied at 19 after a Kristina Antonenko jump shot.
• Swain had a team high seven points in the opening quarter. USC Upstate shot 44 percent from the field in the opening quarter.

SECOND QUARTER BREAKDOWN

• Ashlee Jones made the first jumper of the quarter to give the Lancers the lead.
• Brianna Lewis cut the Longwood lead to one point with 7:18 to go in the half with an old-fashioned three-point play.
• Longwood then went on a 4-0 run to take a five point lead with 6:19 to play in the quarter.
• The Spartans made just two field goals the rest of the quarter as Longwood took a 35-29 lead into halftime.
• USC Upstate scored seven of their ten points off of turnovers in the second quarter.

THIRD QUARTER BREAKDOWN

• Rouse scored the opening layup of the third quarter to give Longwood and eight point lead.
• The Spartan offense then caught fire and went on an 11-2 run to take back the lead at the 6:26 mark of the third period.
• Longwood then countered with an 8-2 run of their own to take back a five point lead.
• USC Upstate then scored the final four field goals of the quarter to take a 51-47 advantage heading into the final quarter of play.  

FOURTH QUARTER BREAKDOWN

• Ciarah Bennett hit a three-pointer out of the gates in the final quarter to cut the Spartans lead to one.
• Swain responded with a three-pointer at the opposite end to give the Spartans a four point cushion with 8:11 remaining.
• A few minutes later Gibbons connected on a three from the top of the arch, giving the Spartans a 59-54 lead.
• Rouse then went on an individual 4-0 run to pull the Lancer back within one with 5:35 to play in the game.
• Lewis and Gibbons then made back-to-back field goals to keep USC Upstate ahead by six points.
• The Spartans held onto the lead the rest of the game, Lewis sank the final free throws with six second remaining in the game.

 NEXT UP

• The USC Upstate women's basketball team will make their longest trek of the season on Tuesday evening, with a trip to Hampton. The game is scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. tip-off.

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