Women's Basketball Shows Impressive Outing Sunday, Frustrating No. 19 Kentucky with Strong Defensive Effort

Sunday, December 19

Lexington, KY

2:00 p.m.

University of South Carolina Upstate Athletics

8-3,0-0Big South

Kentucky

7-3,0-0SEC

USC Upstate

Kentucky

Photo by: Jarred Bradley

12/19/2021 5:53:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Facing a ranked team for the first time since the 2019-20 season, USC Upstate women's basketball did not shy away from the challenge, striking first and holding No. 19 Kentucky to its lowest scoring quarter and second-lowest scoring half of the season Sunday afternoon at Memorial Coliseum.

Opening the game on a 7-0 run and outscoring the Wildcats 14-5 in the opening quarter, Upstate staked an early advantage as the team's defense stymied Kentucky's offense, holding its opponent to its lowest-scoring quarter of the season, limiting the Wildcats to 2-15 shooting (13.3 percent) in the period—the second-lowest period shooting percentage of the season for Kentucky.

The Spartans' defensive persistence carried throughout the game as Upstate held Kentucky to 26 first-half points—the Wildcats' second-lowest scoring half of the season—and trailed by three heading into halftime. Despite falling 67-44 against the 19^th-ranked Wildcats, holding Kentucky to 67 points, Upstate limited the Wildcats to their lowest scoring output against an unranked and/or mid-major opponent this season with just No. 7 Louisville (58) and No. 8 Indiana (67) holding Kentucky to fewer point totals.

Leading the way for the Spartans, freshman guard Terah Harness and senior guard Denijsha Wilson scored 11 points apiece, pushing Upstate's streak of games with multiple double-figure scorers to 15, dating back to last season. Harness led Upstate with three triples, tying her career-high in the category, while Wilson shot 5-of-8 from the floor, dropping in a season-best five made field goals.

Game Information
Score: No. 19 Kentucky 67; USC Upstate 44
Records: USC Upstate (8-3; 0-0 Big South); Kentucky (7-3; 0-0 SEC)
Location: Memorial Coliseum | Lexington, Ky.

How It Happened
First Quarter

With Dakota McCaughan stepping back from the top of the key and draining a three, she ignited a 7-0 Upstate scoring run with Jada Logan knifing to the basket for a layup and Molly Coleman sticking a putback attempt to round out the scoring run.
Out of a Kentucky timeout, the Wildcats tallied four consecutive points to pull the Spartan lead with both of Kentucky's made field goals in the quarter leading to the four points.
Over the final four-plus minutes of the quarter, Upstate outscored Kentucky 7-1 with Terah Harness scoring five straight points before a Wildcat free throw. Hannah Roberts closed the quarter's scoring with a jumper as the Spartans led 14-5 at the quarter break.

Second Quarter

Starting the scoring in the second quarter, Roberts laid in a shot off a back-door cut to score four consecutive points for the Spartans.
Pulling the game back even at 16-all, Kentucky embarked on an 11-0 scoring run to force the game's first tie. Facing the tie, Logan and Denijsha Wilson made back-to-back baskets to put Upstate back ahead.
After Upstate went up four, the Wildcats outscored the Spartans 10-3 over the final five minutes of the half, including a 6-0 run to reclaim the lead. Wilson scored each of the Spartans three points, using a layup to quell the 6-0 run and pull Upstate within one.

Third Quarter

After seeing Kentucky open the half with three made free throws to grow their lead before Roberts and Wilson erased the three-point quarter advantage with a 5-2 Spartan scoring advantage. Wilson found Roberts for three for the first basket in the run before Roberts delivered a beautiful feed on a backdoor cut to find Wilson wide-open for a layup.
As Upstate pulled within three at 31-28 with 5:48 remaining in the quarter, Kentucky used an 18-0 run to grow its advantage, finishing the quarter outscoring the Spartans 23-2.

Fourth Quarter

Breaking Kentucky's momentum, Takia Davis tallied four straight points for the Spartans, connecting on consecutive field goal attempts.
Following Davis' four-point run, Kentucky crafted a 13-3 scoring run a 5-0 spurt, and an 8-0 run with Harness snapping the first run with a three-pointer.
Harness ended both of the Wildcats runs in the quarter with three-pointers, her second sparking a 7-0 Spartan scoring run to close the game. During the run, Upstate held Kentucky scoreless for the final 4:11 of the game.

Notable

With Terah Harness and Denijsha Wilson each totaling 11 points for Upstate Sunday, the Spartans extended their streak of games with multiple double-figure scorers to 15 games, dating back to last season.
Holding Kentucky to five points in the first quarter, the Spartans held the Wildcats to their lowest-scoring quarter of the season, limiting Kentucky to 2-of-15 shooting in the quarter.
Limiting Kentucky to 67 points Sunday, Upstate limited Kentucky to its lowest-scoring output against an unranked and/or mid-major opponent this season. Only No. 7 Louisville (58) and No. 8 Indiana (67) held the Wildcats to fewer points.

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