Jan. 10, 2008

Gametracker| A-Sun.TV
Complete Campbell Game Notes in PDF Format

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - After one of their strongest defensive efforts of the season, the USC Upstate women's basketball team will head back to the Hodge Center for their first Atlantic Sun Conference home opener in school history, as Campbell comes to the friendly confines for a 1 p.m. Saturday game as part of a doubleheader with the men's teams.

The Spartans, who enter the game at 4-9, have gotten a boost the past two games from freshman Kasey Thompson, whose 13 points in both games paced the offense. On Tuesday, the Spartans fell by just 10 points to defending Big South Champions, UNC Asheville, forcing 21 turnovers while committing just nine in the game. The team also got a huge game from junior Ebony Johnson on the glass, as she scooped up 16 rebounds.

The Camels are 5-10 overall and 0-2 in the Atlantic Sun, suffering opening weekend losses to Belmont, 56-43, and Lipscomb, 58-50.

Senior Marlena Murphy leads the A-Sun in rebounding, grabbing 11.1 boards per game and is fourth in scoring, notching 13.8 points per game. She is 10th in field goal percentage, hitting 44.1 percent of her shots.

This is the first meeting between the two programs.

Spartan Notables
• The Spartans are 5-3 all-time on Jan. 12, including a perfect 3-0 at home, last beating Francis Marion, 62-49, in 2005.
• Upstate is 63-60 all-time against teams from North Carolina, including a 41-20 mark at home.
• Five players recorded at least two assists at UNC Asheville, with junior Courtney Bradley recording four and junior Cherale Powell, junior Ebony Johnson, sophomore Courtney Hawkins and freshman Kasey Thompson dishing out two.
• Junior Courtney Bradley is five assists shy of passing Jametria Hannah (1988-92) for third in school history with 318 career assists.
• Junior Courtney Bradley needs three steals to become the 19th player in school history with 100 in a career.
• Freshman Kimberly Pitman has a blocked shot in each of the last three games.
• Sophomore Courtney Hawkins needs nine points to reach 350 in her career.
• Freshman Kasey Thompson has hit three 3-pointers in each of the last two games.
• Junior Ebony Johnson needs one blocked shot to become the 11th player in school history to reach 25 in a career.
• Head coach Tammy George enters tonight's game looking for her 75th win in her fifth season as a head coach.