Women's Basketball Celebrates Seniors and Alumni Saturday, Welcoming Longwood to Begin Season's Final Homestand

Saturday, February 21

Spartanburg, S.C.

2:00 p.m.

University of South Carolina Upstate Athletics

Longwood

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Kinley Paterson Looking vs. Charleston Southern 2Q 2026 - CH

Photo by: Catherine Harney

2/20/2026 11:49:00 AM | Women's Basketball

ESPN+Live Stats Game Notes

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Beginning its final homestand as the regular season nears its final week, USC Upstate women's basketball returns to the G.B. Hodge Center, hosting Longwood Saturday at 2 p.m. ET. Meeting for the 20^th time in the Spartans' Division I era (2007-pres.), Upstate looks to even the series at 10 wins apiece, avenging an earlier season setback to the Lancers on Jan. 23, 2026.

Saturday's game also sees Upstate celebrate its three seniors, forward Zora Fray-Chinn, forward Aijah Palmore, and guard Ylenia Expósito Pérez, ahead of their penultimate home game as Spartans. The weekend also features an Alumni Day celebration for the program, welcoming home Tee'Ara (Copney) Adams, Rebekah Gordon, Brittany (Clency) Gray, Travonda Haddock, Raven Jefferson, Trinity Johnson, AC Markham, Valese McAllister, Chelsea McMillan, Tyra (Foster) Smith, and Brittany Starling.

Saturday's Matchup
February 21, 2026 | 2:00 p.m. ET
USC Upstate (9-18; 4-9 Big South) vs. Longwood (18-8; 9-4 Big South)
G.B. Hodge Center | Spartanburg, S.C.

TV: ESPN+ | Via WatchESPN.com or the ESPN App
Weekly Coaches Interview: Catch head coach Jason Williams weekly on Fox Sports Spartanburg every Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. ET.

How They Stack Up
Records: USC Upstate (9-18; 4-9 Big South); Longwood (18-8; 9-4 Big South)
Series: Longwood leads 10-9
Last Five Meetings: Jan. 23, 2026 (LWU 74; UPST 50); March 6, 2025 (LWU 56; UPST 37); March 1, 2025 (UPST 62; LWU 60 [OT]); Jan. 25, 2025 (UPST 46; LWU 45); March 7, 2024 (UPST 60; LWU 37)

Players to Watch
USC Upstate: Shooting an efficient 5-of-7 from the field Wednesday at Radford, sophomore forward Zoe Richardson notched her first career double-figure scoring game with 11 points. She complemented her scoring with eight rebounds, the second-highest single-game total of the season. Richardson enters Saturday's contest averaging 2.3 points and 2.7 rebounds per game while adding 27 assists, 13 steals, and eight blocks.

Longwood: Notching her fifth straight double-figure scoring game, graduate student guard Malea Brown paced the Lancers Wednesday at Gardner-Webb, dropping 15 points behind 5-of-13 shooting. One of three Longwood players averaging double figures, she ranks second on the club with 10.6 points per game. She complements her scoring with 104 rebounds, 89 assists, 72 steals, and five blocks.

Up Next for the Spartans
Wrapping its final homestand of the season, Upstate welcomes regional rival Gardner-Webb to the G.B. Hodge Center Wednesday for a 7 p.m. ET tilt.

Connect with the Spartans
Facebook.com/UpstateAthletics
Twitter | @UpstateWBB | @UpstateSpartans
Instagram | @UpstateWBB | @UpstateSpartans
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans

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