Saturday's matchUP
January 11, 2:00 pm

USC Upstate (6-8, 1-4 Big South) VS Longwood University (7-6, 3-1 Big South)
Eddie and Ann Payne Arena inside the G.B. Hodge Center

TV: ESPN+ (online only)

Series History
This is the fourth all-time meeting between USC Upstate and Longwood in the Division I era for both teams. The Spartans hold a 3-1 advantage overall in the series, and the squads split their season series last year with the home team winning both games. Longwood took the most recent meeting 80-58 on February 12, 2019. Brianna Lewis led the Spartans in scoring with 17 points and DeNisha Swain contributed 12 points in the loss. Riley Popplewell had a team-high 11 rebounds. Longwood had four players end the game in double-figures. Mallory Odell recorded a double-double with 21 points and 13 rebounds, Dayna Rouse added 15 points, Stephanie Guihon contributed 14 points and Kate Spradlin registered 12 points in the victory.

Longwood has never won a game in Spartanburg, and the last time the Lancers came to town was January 26, 2019 when the Spartans won by a margin of 72-67. Four Spartans reached double-figures as Lewis led the team for a third straight game with 16 points, Swain added 15 points, Popplewell had 14 points and Michaela Gibbons contributed 12 points. Two Spartans also finished 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. Longwood's Rouse recorded a double-double with a game-high 31 points and 12 rebounds.

Last time out
UPSTATE – USC Upstate dropped its second consecutive home contest Thursday night in a 52-38 loss to Winthrop. Quadijah Moore led the Spartans in scoring on the day with 12 points and Barrett Herring tied her career-high of eight rebounds, previously met against Bob Jones on December 19, 2019. Gibbons and Maya Timberlake each contributed three assists while Herring, Moore, and Kathryn Kirkwood all picked up a block.

Longwood – Junior Tra'Dayja Smith recorded 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists Thursday night for the first triple-double in Longwood's Division I history in an 84-64 victory over Charleston Southern. Anne-Hamilton Leroy led the Lancers with 21 points, and Kyla McMakin rounded out double-figure scoring with 14 points.

Ones to watch
UPSTATE – Popplewell recently moved into fourth place on USC Upstate's all-time offensive rebounds list with 301. She currently leads the Spartans with 96 boards this season, averaging 6.9 per game, and ranks third in Big South total rebounds this season. Moore is the team's second leading scorer with 121 total points and 8.6 points per game.

Longwood – McMakin is Longwood's leading scorer with 207 total points and 15.92 points per game which also makes her the Big South's leading freshman scorer. Rouse is close behind with 201 total points, averaging 15.46 per game and is also the team's leading rebounder with 83 total and 6.38 per game. She has recorded three double-doubles on the year so far.

UP next for the Spartans
The Spartans next game will be at Hampton University on Tuesday, January 14, 2020. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m.

Tickets
Start at $8.00 (adults), $5.00 (ages 3-17); 864-503-7190 and upstatespartans.com/tickets.
Saturday is Middle School Hoops Day, and the Spartans are excited to welcome the middle school girls basketball teams from Carver, DR Hill, Cowpens, Florence Chapel, and RH Gettys Middle School.

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