TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – USC Upstate put up a strong first half against Alabama Wednesday night, but couldn't outlast the Crimson Tide as the Spartans fell 98-59 in Tuscaloosa. Three Spartans scored in double figures, led by McKinley Brooks-Sumpter with 21 points in her Upstate debut.

"I thought we really showed some fight and battled on the boards in the first half, but we're still trying to put together 40 minutes of tough, disciplined basketball. We hope to build off the experience of playing two tough SEC opponents as we prepare for our home opener this weekend," said head coach Becky Burke.

The Spartans jumped out to the first lead of the game on a layup from Denijsha Wilson in the opening minute of the first quarter, and the two teams would go back-and-forth until the final couple minutes of the period. Michaela Gibbons evened things up at 15-all on a 3-pointer with 2:41 remaining in the first frame, but Alabama then went on a 7-0 run to take the lead. Molly Coleman got a pair of points back for Upstate on a jumper with 27 seconds left to send the Spartans into the second frame trailing the Crimson Tide by just a handful at 22-17.

Upstate went on an early 6-0 run to come back within two points of Alabama at 25-23 four minutes into the second frame, and continued to hang with the Crimson Tide most of the period until an 11-0 run spanning 1:46 gave Alabama a double-digit lead. Brooks-Sumpter closed out the half with a layup in the final minute to send Upstate into the break down 44-32.

The Spartans didn't let up in the third frame as they were only outscored by six points in the period. Brooks-Sumpter notched seven points in the quarter and Coleman hit two free throws in the last two seconds to get Upstate to 50 points heading into the final frame. However, the fourth quarter would prove detrimental to the Spartans who couldn't overcome a 16-0 Alabama run in the period.

Notes

• McKinley Brooks-Sumpter showed out in her Spartan debut with a team-high 21 points and team-high eight rebounds. She shot 9-for-18 from the field including a perfect 2-for-2 from the 3-point line.
• Dakota McCaughan hit double-figures in her second consecutive game with 10 points, six of those points coming from beyond the 3-point arc. She also had a pair of boards and a pair of assists.
• Denijsha Wilson had a well-rounded stat line on the night with 12 points, five rebounds, six assists, and a steal.
• Michaela Gibbons pulled down seven rebounds on the night. She also six points alongside a steal and an assist.

UP next for the Spartans
The Spartans host St. Andrews University in their home opener on Saturday, Dec. 5. Tip-off is set for 2:00 p.m. from the Eddie and Ann Payne Arena inside the G.B. Hodge Center.

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