Box Score

USC Upstate UPST 8-11, 1-3 ASUN

Stetson STET 14-5, 3-1 ASUN

USC Upstate UPST

8-11, 1-3 ASUN

Final

Jan. 21, 2017

Stetson STET

14-5, 3-1 ASUN

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	3	4	F
USC Upstate UPST	12	26	8	22	68
Stetson STET	19	18	18	25	80

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | January 21, 2017 | Athletic Communications

Second Half Surge Lifts Stetson Past USC Upstate 80-68

Late Defensive Stops Loom Large

DeLand, Fla. – Brianti Saunders led four players in double figures with 23 points as Stetson won its third game in a row, 80-68 over visiting USC Upstate Saturday afternoon at the Edmunds Center.

Breana Bey added 15 points, eight rebounds and five assists as the Hatters (14-5) improved to 3-1 in ASUN play.

Stetson shot 47 percent from the floor and hit the 80-point mark for the seventh time this season, but it was pair of defensive charges taken by McKenna Beach and DeAsia Beal in the closing minutes that helped the Hatters preserve the lead.

"Those were key plays," Stetson head coach Lynn Bria said. "I just think we needed stops right at that time. We have two people come over and take a charge. We talk a lot about team defense, and getting to the help side. I thought that was huge for us because it allowed us to keep our cushion."

Despite leading 11-0 at the start of the game and 28-18 in the second quarter, the Hatters found themselves trailing 38-37 at the break. Defensively, Stetson switched from man to zone defense in the third quarter and held Upstate to just eight points in the period. Meanwhile, the offense came through with 18 points of its own to give Stetson a 55-46 lead after three.

In the fourth quarter, Stetson led 62-48 with 8:13 to play, but the Spartans (8-11, 1-3) charged back once again to cut it to five at the 2:55 mark. Beach and Beal then drew charges on Upstate's next two possessions, and Stetson hit its final eight free throws to pull away late.

"We ended shooting a lot more free throws than they did (in the second half)," Bria said. "I thought that was really good for us. I thought we were much more aggressive, and we got on the offensive glass. We got 19 offensive rebounds, and that kind of flipped the script on them."

Saunders played all 40 minutes and added seven rebounds and six assists to her 23-point effort. Beal scored a season-high 12 points and Sagerer chipped in 10. Brittney Chambers also scored seven points off the bench.

The Hatters held a 40-30 advantage in rebounding and scored 44 points in the paint to Upstate's 22.

Vanessa Agrusa scored 21 points for the Spartans.

Stetson will go for four in a row Monday night against NJIT.

Notes: Stetson shot 15 free throws in the second half while Upstate shot just two … The Hatters went 0-2 against Upstate last season … Upstate went into the locker room leading by two, but came back on the court leading by one after a 3-pointer late in the first half was ruled to have just been a 2 … Saunders has scored in double figures in all 19 games, and she has scored 20+ points eight times this season ... Stetson was just 16-of-23 from the free throw line (now .814 on the season) … Stetson improved to 13-1 when leading after three quarters.

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