SPARTANBURG, S.C. -  Jacksonville University women's basketball improved to 2-0 in ASUN Conference play Saturday with a 65-47 victory at USC Upstate. Three players scored in double-figures with Brandi Buie leading the way with 23 points.

"We held a good team to 47 points tonight," said Head Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin. "We were very disappointed in our defensive efforts in our last outing and that was something we had to get better at.

"I'm very proud of our resiliency. Christin Mercer was battling the flu and she prevailed. This was a total team effort." 

Sherranda Reddick finished the evening with 20 points, Mercer added 13 and Kimberly Dawkins tied her career-high with 16 rebounds.

It took Buie three minutes to become the first double-digit scorer in Saturday's contest. The junior recorded the first three points of the evening on a corner trey and swished two more before powering her way to the rim for an easy layup.

By the first media timeout (4:51), Jacksonville held a 15-6 advantage and went on an 8-0 run following the break.  

The Dolphins led by as much as 17 before USC Upstate closed the gap to two, 30-28, at halftime. In comparison to a hot first period where it recorded 10 field goals, Jacksonville saw a 2-for-13 effort from the floor in the second quarter.

USC Upstate went on to post 15 points in the frame against JU's five.

"At the half, I told them 'If we have five, then they should have had five'," continued McCuin. "We're trying to find our identity, and it starts on the defensive end."

Brittney Delva tied things at 30-all on the Spartans' first possession of the second half and a Raven Jefferson jump shot earned the team its first advantage a few seconds later (8:44).

Reddick canceled Upstate's two-basket lead with a three-pointer at the 6:29 mark and in the final minutes of the quarter it was the Brandi Buie show. She recorded eight points highlighted by back-to-back three-pointers as the Dolphins closed the quarter up, 52-38.

"Everything started on the defensive end," said Buie. "Our offense starts with our defense, and we need to take our second half momentum into the game at New Jersey."

The Dolphins maintained their edge the rest of the way.

After Saturday's decision, Reddick is six points away from becoming the Dolphins' all-time leading scorer. 

Jacksonville continues its road travels Monday at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.