Dec. 31, 2007

Box Score

Spartanburg, S.C. - Bethune-Cookman University fought hard the entire way, but their bid for an upset was cut just short as USC Upstate held off the Wildcats with a 52-50 win in a non-conference women's basketball affair at the Hodge Center on Monday night in Spartanburg, S.C.

With the Wildcats trailing 52-50 with five second remaining in the contest, B-CU freshman guard Jalisa Isaac squared up for a jumper that was just short of tying the ballgame as USC Upstate's Courtney Hawkins rebounded the ball to hold-off the upset-minded Wildcats from Daytona Beach, Fla.

The two teams went to the locker room deadlocked at 25 after the first 20 minutes of action on the court.

B-CU's Ta'tiana Ingram connected on a three-pointer from the right corner to put the Wildcats (3-8) up 13-7 with 13:05 left in the opening half of play. The `Cats would extend that lead out to their largest margin (25-16) behind a jumper from Deneen Bell with just over six minutes showing on the clock.

USC Upstate (4-6) countered at the end of the half with an 8-0 run finished off by two foul shots from Kelly Westfield to knot the score at 25-25. The two teams would go scoreless for the remaining 2:25 of the half.

B-CU led by as many as seven points at 36-29 with 14:22 left in the contest. Sarah Bolden's free throws put the Wildcats up by seven before a 15-2 run was sparked by the Spartans' Ebony Johnson. USC Upstate led 44-38 following a three-pointer from Courtney Bradley--added another lay-up from Johnson.

The Spartans had to hold off a furious rally from the `Cats once again as B-CU's Natasha Ferguson hit a jumper from just outside the painted area to bring her team to within 44-43 with 5:54 left in the game. The senior from Walterboro, S.C.--one part of the Palmetto Pals connection for the Francis Simmons' coached Wildcats, finished the night in double-figures with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

For Ferguson, her double-double was the fourth of the season for her in that category, and her first since an 11-point, 12-rebound effort against conference rival Florida A&M (Dec. 1) in Daytona Beach.

USC Upstate used a lay-up from Johnson and another free throw from Johnson to keep the `Cats back at four and three points, respectively, as comeback attempts were staved off each time by the homestanding Spartans.

B-CU freshman Demetria Frank hit one of two free throws with 29 seconds remaining to cut the lead down to the final margin of 52-50 as she missed the second attempt. The Spartans, in fact, had a chance to ice the game, but USC Upstate's Johnson missed the front-end of a one-and-one to allow the Wildcats' Ingram the rebound ... and the chance for Isaac's jumper in the end.

Johnson led all scorers on the night with 12 points and a career-high 20 rebounds (13 defensive). She also tacked on three assists and three blocked shots in an all-around effort for her team. Behind her in double-figures were Courtney Hawkins (11) and Courtney Bradley (10). Bradley also passed-out a game-high five assists.

As for B-CU, it was the freshman Jalisa Isaac with a season-best 11 points and three steals leading the way. Ferguson's 10 points was the only other Wildcat player touching double-figures on the night. Fellow South Carolina native Keturah Newkirk finished with nine points on 3-for-7 shooting beyond the arc. Bolden also finished with nine points to help the Wildcats' cause.

The Wildcats will now step back onto the hardwood on Wednesday, Jan. 2 when they travel across Spartanburg to Wofford for a contest slated to begin at 2 p.m. For more information, please visit the B-CU athletic website at www.BCCathletics.com.