Series MatchUP
Friday, January 22 | 6:00 p.m. EST
Saturday, January 23 | 4:00 p.m. EST
USC Upstate (4-11, 2-8 Big South) at Gardner-Webb (4-9, 4-4 BSC)
Boiling Springs, N.C.
TV: ESPN+ (Jan. 22), ESPN3 (Jan. 23) | Via WatchESPN.com or the ESPN App
PxP: Phil Constantino
Color: Sarah Jansen
From the Court to the Booth
This weekend's color commentator, Sarah Jansen is a USC Upstate (then USC Spartanburg) alum who donned the green and black for the women's basketball program from 1999-2004. Jansen's name is etched in the program's record books, and most notably, she ranks 5th all-time in 3-point field goal percentage (.341) and eighth all-time in total assists (295).
Series History
This is the 17th all-time meeting between the two programs, and the ninth meeting since Upstate joined the DI ranks. The Spartans won their first three meetings ever against the Runnin' Bulldogs, a pair of wins in 1986 as an NAIA program and one in 1991 as an NCAA DII member. However, Upstate has yet to defeat Gardner-Webb since then, holding a 0-8 record against the Bulldogs in the DI era. Most recently, Gardner-Webb spoiled senior day for the Spartans last season as Upstate fell 70-59 at home on Feb. 29, 2020.
Last Time Out
Upstate at Hampton Recap (1/16)
Gardner-Webb at High Point Recap (1/16)
Ones to Watch
Upstate – Molly Coleman continues to play a crucial role for the Spartans and is coming off a strong performance at Hampton. In game one against the Pirates, she notched her second double-double of the season with 13 points and a game-high 10 rebounds alongside three blocks. She followed that up with 17 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks in game two of the series. She's averaging 9.4 points and 5.3 rebounds a game for the season. Michaela Gibbons is working her way back into the rotation after a short break, and played a huge defensive role in the win against Hampton last weekend while posting 12 points off the bench.
Gardner-Webb – Lauren Bevis is leading the Bulldog offense with 10.6 points per game, and Alasia Smith leads Gardner-Webb on the glass and ranks third in Big South rebounding, averaging 8.5 per game. Jhessyka Williams is second on the team in scoring (10.2ppg) and rebounding (5.2rpg), and leads the team in steals with 2.8 per game.
UP next for the Spartans
Upstate returns home to the Hodge next weekend for a two-game series against Radford. Game one is set for a 6 p.m. tip on Friday, Jan. 29 followed by a 4 p.m. tip on Saturday, Jan. 30.
Upstate WarmUP
Join us for an all new preview of USC Upstate basketball! The "Upstate Warmup" airs 30 minutes prior to tip-off of home men's and women's basketball games on Facebook (USCUpstateAthletics) and youtube.com/upstatespartans. The preview show includes coach interviews, student-athlete spotlights, a look around the Big South, and more!
Home Game Attendance Information
Single game tickets are not available for sale to the general public. Due to limited seating capacity in accordance with social distancing guidelines, tickets for this season are reserved for season ticket holders, player families and USC Upstate students. For more information, click here.
JOIN UP
Make a difference in the lives of USC Upstate student-athletes!  Donate to the USC Upstate U Club today!
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