University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
USC Upstate
USC Upstate Edges UNC Asheville 73-66
11.30.2011 | Women's Basketball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. - Tee'Ara Copney scored a career-high 34 points to lead USC Upstate to its first victory of the season as the Spartans slipped past UNC Asheville 73-66 in non-conference college women's basketball action Wednesday night at Kimmel Arena.
The loss spoiled a brilliant rebounding effort from Bulldog forward Kelli Riles. The junior forward collected 28 rebounds to go with 13 points. It was the most rebounds by an Asheville player since the 1983-84 season when Sheila Ford grabbed 32 rebounds.
Also scoring in double figures for USCS (1-6) was Briana Robinson with 10 points.
The Bulldogs (2-4) got a career-high 21 points from freshman center Leah Wormack. Gentry Manley came off the bench to score 11 points and collect seven rebounds.
USCS scored six straight points early in the second half to take a 45-39 lead and never trailed again as Copney scored 20 points in the second half.
The Bulldogs were within 64-61 after a Grace Blaylock three-pointer with 3:15 left. But Copney scored on a lay-up and hit two free throws to push the lead to 68-61.
Asheville could get no closer than five points the rest of the game. USCS went 7-of-8 from the charity stripe in the final minute to hold off the Bulldogs.
The home team hurt itself with 25 turnovers. The Spartans outscored Asheville 20-6 on points off turnovers. USCS only had 11 turnovers.
Copney was 13-of-27 from the field, 3-of-10 from long distance and 5-of-7 from the free throw line.
Riles had a double-double in the first half as she grabbed 17 rebounds and scored 10 points.
The Bulldogs led for most of the opening half as they led by as many as eight points before Copney led the Spartans back. She scored 14 points in the first half and helped USCS trail by just one at 27-26 at halftime.
UNC Asheville is off until Saturday, Dec. 10 when the Bulldogs face Appalachian State as part of the Asheville Collegiate Basketball Invitational at 4:30 p.m. The first game of the invitational features Wofford and Radford starting at 2 p.m. Tickets can be obtained by calling 828-251-6904.
