SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The USC Upstate women's basketball team opened up the 2019-20 basketball season in front a boisterous crowd at the G.B. Hodge Center on Tuesday night as the Spartans defeated Florida A&M 74-61.
 
The Spartans defense came ready to play and got the crowd into the game early and often. The USC Upstate (1-0) defense held Florida A&M (0-1) to 29 percent shooting on the night and 26 percent shooting from beyond the three point arch. The Spartan defense forced 19 Lady Rattler turnovers and produced 10 steals in the contest. However, the USC Upstate defense had their biggest impact in the paint as freshman center Quadijah Moore (Greenwood, S.C.) swatted four shots in the game. Senior guard Brianna Lewis (Chicago, Ill.) got in on the action and brought the house down when she packed Caylan Jones on a layup attempt.
 
Lewis and Moore also produced on the offensive side of the court. Both players produced a double-double in the game with Lewis earning hers with 19 points and 12 assists. Moore contributed 13 points and hauled in 11 boards in the contest. For Lewis not only was this her second career double-double her 12 assists rank as the third highest in school history.
 
Freshman Jada Logan (Rutherfordton, N.C.) made an impressive debut for USC Upstate. The Tar Heel state native produced 11 points and recorded six assists in the victory. Senior forward Riley Popplewell (Union Mills, Ind.) produced a 10 point, eight rebound outing for the Spartans. Popplewell's three offensive rebounds inch her closer into the top-five of the school's offensive rebounds list. Michaela Gibbons (Troutman, N.C.) scored seven points in the game but made an even bigger impact on defense hauling in eight rebounds and forcing five turnovers.
 
USC Upstate made a living in the paint on Tuesday night, outscoring Florida A&M 34-16. The Spartans also capitalized on turnovers by scoring 17 points off of miscues. USC Upstate will hit the road and travel over to the Tar Heel state to play against East Carolina University on Friday evening.
 
The Spartans return home to the Hodge Center, Tuesday, November 12 for the annual "Education Day" game against Western Carolina at 11:00am.  No admission will be charged for the contest with the Catamounts, with over 700 Spartanburg County school children slated to fill the Hodge Center.  The Spartans will host Mars Hill on Saturday, November 16. Tickets for the contest start at $8.00 for adults or $5.00 for youth (ages 3-17). 
 
To purchase tickets, for Upstate Spartans basketball, shop online at upstatespartans.com or call, 864-503-7190.  Follow Upstate women's basketball on Facebook (UpstateAthletics), Twitter (@UpstateWB), Instagram (@upstatespartans) and YouTube (USCUpstateAthletics).