SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Outscoring UNC Greensboro 22-8 in the third quarter, USC Upstate women's basketball erased an eight-point first-half deficit and raced out to a double-digit second-half advantage in a gutsy victory Saturday afternoon at the Hodge.
 
In the team's second grind-it-out victory in as many games, guards junior Chellia Watson and freshman Rachael Rose paced Upstate with a game-high 15 points each. Both Spartans dropped double-figures in the second half with Rose scoring 12 and Watson 10 in the second half.
 
Joining Rose and Watson in double-figures for Upstate, freshman forward Hannah Roberts poured in a career-high 13 points, shooting 5-of-7 from the field, including a team-best 3-of-4 from long range.
 
On the boards, junior guard Jada Logan corralled a season-high 11 boards, putting forth the first double-digit rebounding effort by a Spartan since she pulled in 10 rebounds against Charleston Southern on March 6, 2021.
 
Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 57; UNC Greensboro 46
Records: USC Upstate (5-2; 0-0 Big South); UNC Greensboro 46
Location: G.B. Hodge Center | Spartanburg, S.C.
 
How It Happened
First Quarter

• After seeing Jada Logan opening the scoring with a floater, UNC Greensboro used an 8-0 run to open up its first-quarter advantage.
• Following a pair of Rachael Rose free throws to end the UNCG scoring run, the visiting Spartans extended its scoring run to 11-2 to take an 11-4 lead into the quarter break.

Second Quarter

• Facing its largest deficit of the game—eight points—Upstate fashioned a 6-0 scoring run, kicked off by a Denijsha Wilson three from the corner off an assist from Terah Harness.
• After UNCG broke Upstate's scoring run with a pair of free throws, the host Spartans extended the scoring stretch to 13-2 to take their first lead since the opening minutes of the game with 36 second remaining in the half.
• Trailing by three following a pair of Jada Logan free throws, UNCG's Pernilla Sorensen hit a buzzer-beating three to tie the game at 22 heading into the halftime break.

Third Quarter

• After UNCG took the lead with 8:37 remaining in the third quarter, Upstate regained the lead it would hold for the remainder of the game behind a 6-0 run.
• Following the second of UNCG's made field goals in the quarter, Upstate fashioned its longest run of the game as Rose and Chellia Watson scored six and five points, respectively to create the 11-0 run.
• With Upstate outscoring UNCG 22-8 in the quarter, Rose and Watson combined to score 20 of the Spartans 22 points in the period. Rose led the way with 12 of her 15 points while Watson scored eight of her 15 in the quarter.

Fourth Quarter

• Facing a 15-point deficit in the early minutes of the fourth quarter, UNCG embarked on its longest run of the game, scoring nine consecutive points to cut Upstate's advantage to six.
• Answering UNCG's longest scoring run of the game, Upstate used another double-digit scoring run to push its lead back to double-figures. Beginning the run, Hannah Roberts drained a pair of daggers from beyond the arc.

 
Notable

• Scoring 15 points apiece against UNCG, Rachael Rose and Chellia Watson led Upstate in scoring for the second consecutive game. For Watson, this extends her streak as the team's leading scorer to three consecutive games, the longest streak for a Spartan this season and the longest for a Spartan since Brianna Lewis led in three straight near the end of the 2019-20 season.
• Leading Upstate in scoring, Rose and Watson each dropped double-figures in the second half with Rose scoring 12 points and Watson 10 in the second half.
• Rounding out a trio of double-figure scorers, Hannah Roberts finished with a career-best 13 points against UNCG. She finished shooting 5-of-7 from the floor, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc.
• Corralling 11 rebounds Saturday afternoon, Jada Logan secured Upstate's first double-figure rebounding game of the 2021-22 season. The game also marked the first double-figure rebounding game for the Spartans since Logan pulled in 10 rebounds against Charleston Southern on March 6, 2021.
• Forcing 18 turnovers against UNCG, Upstate has forced 17 or more turnovers in each of the team's seven games this season.

 
JOIN UP
Make a difference in the lives of USC Upstate student-athletes!  Donate to the USC Upstate U Club today!

Keep UP with the Spartans
Facebook.com/UpstateAthletics
Twitter | @UpstateWBB @UpstateSpartans
Instagram | @UpstateWBB @UpstateSpartans
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans