SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Outside shooting and strong play off the boards propelled third-seeded USC Upstate past sixth-seed North Florida women's basketball, 76-50, in the Atlantic Sun Conference Quarterfinals on Friday evening in the Hodge Center.
 
With the loss, the Ospreys' season comes to an end with a 7-23 mark. USC Upstate advances to play Jacksonville in the semifinals with a 20-10 mark.
 
Junior Claire Ioannidis put up her seventh 20-point game of the season with 21 points and tied the UNF single-season record for 3-pointers made. She matches Jadhken Kerr from the 2009-10 season with 80.
 
Sophomore Sierra Shepherd chipped in 10 points, all coming in the second half, while grabbing six rebounds and dishing out two assists. Senior Kadesia Johnson finished her career with six points, six rebounds, a steal and an assist. Maiya Rumph and Karrah Johnson also pulled down six rebounds each, while Karrah Johnson added eight points.
 
The biggest difference in the game was off the glass as the Spartans pulled down 55 – just two shy of a season-high against UNF – including 21 offensive caroms that led to 17 points. Despite having four Ospreys pulling down six rebounds each, UNF had just 36 boards with nine second chance points.
 
"It was a tough game. I thought they did everything we were trying to take away which was get the ball inside and rebound," said head coach Darrick Gibbs who finishes his first season at the helm. "I don't think we battled enough and obviously the results spoke loudly there."
 
The teams traded baskets to open the game, but a lay in from Brittany Starling sparked a 9-3 run to give USC Upstate a 17-9 lead after one. Ioannidis hit the lone triple during the stretch.
 
In the second quarter, Ioannidis hit back-to-back jumpers to spark an 11-4 Osprey run to pull within, 24-20, with 5:49. USC Upstate then buckled down the defense and held the visitors without a basket for more than five minutes to build a 31-22 lead to take into the locker room.  UNF held the hosts to just 27 percent in the second frame, while shooting 46 percent themselves, but struggled from long-range with one trey.
 
UNF cut the lead back to seven with a pair of makes from the line from Ioannidis, but Upstate pushed its lead to double-figures with a 13-4 run over the next six minutes and eventually led 51-32 on a freebie from Brittany Starling.
 
The final frame saw the Spartans hit four three-pointers and shoot 66 percent from the field, while North Florida struggled with a 26 percent clip from the floor. A jumper from Kadesia Johnson closed the gap to 53-36, but it was as close as the Ospreys would get.
 
For USC Upstate, Raven Jefferson hit a career-best 23 points to lead a quartet of double-figure scorers. Starling recorded a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Travonda Haddock put up 10 points and 12 rebounds en route to the team grabbing 55 boards.  The Spartans converted 21 offensive rebounds to 17 points, while UNF struggled off the glass with 36 total boards.
 
The Ospreys return seven players from this year's squad in addition to three players who sat out the year. In addition, three freshmen will bolster the roster as additions.