Feb. 3, 2008

A-Sun.TV | Gametracker
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SPARTANBURG, S.C. - After three years apart, the USC Upstate women's basketball team and Kennesaw State are back together in the Atlantic Sun Conference, with USC Upstate joining the A-Sun this season. The two teams, former Peach Belt Conference rivals, will meet for the first time as DI schools on Monday at 7 p.m. at the Hodge Center.

Upstate, which enters the game at 4-17 overall and 0-8 in the A-Sun, is led by sophomore Courtney Hawkins, who is third in the conference in scoring, averaging 14.3 points per game.

The Spartans will got some impressive individual performances on Saturday against Mercer, with junior Ebony Johnson posting a career-high 17 points and career-highs in rebounds from freshman Kimberly Pitman and sophomore Shanea Wyant with nine a piece.

The Owls, who are 10-10 overall and 5-3 in the Atlantic Sun Conference, under head coach Colby Tilley in his 13th year, are looking for their fourth win in the last five games on Monday.

Led by senior Britteny Henderson, who leads the Owls, averaging 13.5 points and 7.8 rebounds, the Owls have wins over Stetson, Lipscomb and Belmont in the last two weeks to move into fourth in the conference standings.

Spartan Notables
• The Spartans are 8-5 all-time on Feb. 4, last falling to Clayton State, 74-63, in 2006.
• Head coach Tammy George had her No. 23 jersey retired on Friday at East Henderson High School.
• Sophomore Shanea Wyant is one point shy of reaching 200 career points.
• Sophomore Courtney Hawkins is 14 points shy of reaching 500 career points. She would become the second Spartan to reach the mark this year, along with junior Courtney Bradley.
• Sophomore Courtney Hawkins has recorded a steal in each of the last 20 games, with her last game without a theft coming in the season-opener at Kentucky on Nov. 10.
• Since Dec. 6, junior Ebony Johnson has seen her scoring average rise from 6.4 to 7.9 points per game.
• Sophomore Courtney Hawkins is two steals shy of becoming the first player in the DI era to record 50 at Upstate.
• Junior Ebony Johnson is 10 rebounds shy of becoming the first Spartan to reach 150 in the DI era.
• Freshman Kimberly Pitman is second on the team with six blocked shots and is also second in conference games in rebounding (5.1).
• Junior Ebony Johnson is the only player in the country 5-7 or shorter that is averaging 7.0 rebounds per game.