MOREHEAD, Ky. – Outscoring its opponent 45-31 in the second half after erasing a double-digit first-half deficit, USC Upstate women's basketball downed Morehead State 66-52 Saturday afternoon, collecting the program's sixth consecutive victory, tying the program's D1 era's (2007-pres.) longest winning streak.
 
Continuing a trend of the team's winning streak, Upstate's victory featured multiple double-figure scorers as redshirt sophomore guard Chellia Watson and freshman guard Rachael Rose scored 16 and 13 points, respectively. Watson's team-high 16 points were split evenly over both halves as she also added a team-best five assists while Rose scored 10 of her points in the second half, finishing 2-of-2 from deep in the half and 3-of-3 overall in the game.
 
Adding eight and six points, respectively, senior guard Denijsha Wilson and sophomore guard Dakota McCaughan dropped season-high scoring totals with junior guard Jada Logan chipping in eight points and a team-high seven rebounds.
 
Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 66; Morehead State 52
Records: USC Upstate (8-2; 0-0 Big South); Morehead State (1-8; 0-0 OVC)
Location: Johnson Arena | Morehead, Ky.
 
How It Happened
First Quarter

• Opening the game, Morehead State raced out to a 10-0 scoring run, heading into the first media timeout, holding Upstate to 0-of-9 from the floor during the stretch.
• Earning an and-one opportunity to send the game to its first media, Molly Coleman ignited an 11-0 scoring run to close the quarter. Chellia Watson capped the Spartans scoring run with a three-pointer from the wing that beat the period's buzzer.

Second Quarter

• After seeing Morehead State end Upstate's scoring run with a quarter-opening layup, Rachael Rose nailed the first of her team-high three three-pointers, burying the trey from the corner to put the Spartans back in front.
• Over the final nine minutes of the quarter, both Morehead State and Upstate traded three to five point scoring runs as the lead changed hands four times in the quarter. The final of the teams' runs resided with the Spartans with Jada Logan and Watson hitting back-to-back field goals to tie the game heading into half.

Third Quarter

• Coming out of the locker room following the half, Chellia Watson extended Upstate's scoring run to six points. Ending the run, Morehead State used a 9-1 scoring advantage to grow the host's lead to six—their largest of the second half.
• Reclaiming the lead, Upstate used a game-long 13-point scoring streak to flip the lead quickly in the Spartans' favor. Denijsha Wilson scored five of the 13 points in the stretch with Rose and Dakota McCaughan hitting big threes in the sequence.
• Over the final three minutes of the quarter, the Spartans held Morehead State to 0-of-3 shooting from the floor, taking a six-point lead into the period break.

Fourth Quarter

• After the Eagles trimmed the Spartan advantage to four with a quarter-opening layup, Upstate again constructed a double-digit scoring run, reeling off 11 consecutive points to grow the lead to double-figures. Rose scored five of the 11 points with Watson and McCaughan adding three points each in the stretch.

 
Notable

• Winning its sixth consecutive game, Upstate tied the program's Division I era (2007-pres.) record for longest winning streak, tying a six-game streak during the 2015-16 season. The streaks are the longest for the Spartans since winning seven straight in the 1997-98 season.
• Over the team's six-game winning streak, Upstate has allowed just 46.3 points per game, holding each of its opponents in the streak to 53 or fewer points with each of the team's eight victories this season seeing the opponent score 53 points or less.
• Saturday's game also saw multiple Spartans score in double-figures as Chellia Watson and Rachael Rose scored 16 and 13 points, respectively. Dating back to last season, Upstate has had two or more double-figure scorers in 14 consecutive games.
• Forcing 16 turnovers Saturday, Upstate has forced 16 or more opponent miscues in all 10 games this season and 11 straight games overall. Under head coach Becky Burke (2020-pres.), the Spartans have forced double-digit turnovers in 29 of 33 games over the past two seasons.

 
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