Jan. 23, 2008

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

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - The USC Upstate women's basketball team will face a tall order on Friday at 7 p.m., when it squares off with Atlantic Sun Conference preseason favorite Jacksonville at the Hodge Center.

The game will feature a matchup of the conference's top two scorers in league play, with Jacksonville senior Ashley Williams averaging 21.2 points in A-Sun play and Upstate sophomore Courtney Hawkins entering the game averaging 17.4 points in conference play.

Upstate, at 4-14 overall and 0-5 in the A-Sun, will look for big contributions in the game from junior Ebony Johnson, who is fifth in the conference in rebounding, averaging 7.2 boards per game, and freshman Tiffany Whiting, who is averaging 8.0 points per game.

The Dolphins have lived up to their billing so far this season, strolling out to a 15-3 record and a 5-0 mark in Atlantic Sun play. Jacksonville is coming off road wins at North Florida, 53-38, on Jan. 19, and at Kennesaw State, 61-53, on Jan. 14.

The team is also boosted by junior Virginia Gregoire, who averaged 14.4 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.

This is the first meeting between the two teams.

Spartan Notables
• The Spartans are 7-4 all-time on Jan. 25, including a perfect 2-0 mark at home, last beating Francis Marion, 53-49 in 2006.
• Upstate is 6-11 all-time against teams from the Sunshine State, including a 5-3 mark in the Hodge Center.
• Sophomore Courtney Hawkins has recorded a steal in each of the last 17 games, with her last game without a theft coming in the season-opener at Kentucky on Nov. 10.
• Freshman Kimberly Pitman recorded two blocked shots at Lipscomb on Sunday, moving into second on the team with five this season.
• Freshman Tiffany Whiting is just the eighth player in school history to connect on 20 3-pointers during their rookie year.
• Junior Ebony Johnson became the 27th player in school history to reach 300 career rebounds and the 11th player in school history to block 25 career shots at Belmont.
• Sophomore Courtney Hawkins has hit a 3-pointer in each of the last five games and eight of the last nine.
• Freshman Tiffany Whiting averaged 8.0 points and 2.0 assists in the last two games.
• Junior Ebony Johnson is one of just two players in the country 5-7 or shorter that is averaging 7.0 rebounds per game.
• Sophomore Courtney Hawkins is sixth in the nation in scoring for players 5-4 or shorter, averaging 13.8 per game.