HIGH POINT, N.C. – Eighth-seeded USC Upstate went against No. 1 High Point Monday night in the Hercules Tires Big South Championship Quarterfinals and fell 85-63 to end the season 8-15 overall. High Point advances to the tournament quarterfinals with the win. Upstate is now 2-2 in Big South tournament games.
"I was proud of our effort at times tonight, but unfortunately we didn't put together a full 40 minutes, and against a team like High Point, you have to play at a high level for a full 40. I think we finished the season playing much better basketball and improving in so many areas than where we started, so I'm encouraged about the direction we are going in. We made some strides this year in between the lines and inside the locker room, and that's what you ask for in year one. I'm very excited about the future of this program," said head coach Becky Burke.
Molly Coleman paced all Spartans in scoring with 23 points alongside seven rebounds
Jada Logan was just shy of a double-double as she pulled down a team-high eight rebounds and posted 12 points. She also had five assists.
Dakota McCaughan put up 11 points with three triples and swiped four passes on the night. She also contributed five assists.
Upstate only committed 11 turnovers on then night while forcing 17 from High Point.
The Spartans came out of an early timeout with back-to-back baskets, and McCaughan's first ripple of the night later cut Upstate's deficit to 14-9 with 5:12 to go in the opening frame. Logan drove all the way in for a basket before pulling the Spartans back within five points of the Panthers in the last two minutes of the period. High Point led 24-15 after the first 10 minutes of play.
Another McCaughan trey got Upstate on the board three minutes into the second quarter, and after High Point forced another Upstate timeout, Maya Timberlake came out of that timeout with a basket from Molly Coleman. Wilson later perfectly executed and and-1 opportunity. Upstate trailed 53-31 heading into halftime.
Coleman got to the basket right off the bat in the second half and hit a shot from McCaughan in the first 11 seconds of the third period. Later in the frame, Michaela Gibbons hit her first 3-pointer of the night.
McCaughan's third triple of the game got things going in the fourth quarter, and Wilson would later knock down a three of her own. The Spartans never quit at the end as Gibbons hit her second triple of the night with a minute to go and McCaughan went down for a fast break jumper in the last 15 seconds of the game.
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