SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Facing the team sitting atop the Big South women's basketball standings Saturday afternoon at the G.B. Hodge Center, USC Upstate women's basketball proved up to the test, delivering the program's largest victory over a conference foe during the Becky Burke era (2020-pres.) of Spartan basketball in Upstate's 81-62 triumph over Campbell.
 
Posting her second career 30-point scoring effort, redshirt sophomore guard Chellia Watson dropped a career-best 32 points to lead the Spartans, finishing 11-of-19 (57.8 percent) from the floor and 5-of-7 (71.4 percent) from three as her five treys marked a career-high from beyond the arc. She also added five assists, four rebounds, and three steals on the afternoon.
 
Joining Watson in double-figures, senior forward Molly Coleman, freshman guard Rachael Rose, and junior guard Jada Logan added 14, 13, and 10 points, respectively, combining to shoot an efficient 75.0 percent (15-of-20) from the field. As a team, Upstate shot 62.5 percent (30-of-48) from the field and 56.3 percent (9-of-16) from three, posting its highest single-game shooting percentage against a Division I opponent since Jan. 23, 2021 (.614 [27-of-44) vs. Gardner-Webb).
 
Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 81; Campbell 62
Records: USC Upstate (13-5; 5-2 Big South); Campbell (14-4; 8-1 Big South)
Location: G.B. Hodge Center | Spartanburg, S.C.
 
How It Happened
First Quarter

• Seeing Campbell score the first four points of the game, Upstate provided a huge answer by going on its longest scoring run of the game to take a lead it would never relinquish. Chellia Watson scored the first five points of a 12-0 run before Rachael Rose added the next four with Jada Logan capping the run off with a corner three.
• Hitting a three ahead of the game's first media timeout, Campbell stopped the Spartans' double-digit scoring run to pull within five. Upstate, however, followed up with another extended scoring stretch, going on an 8-0 run. Watson again paced the stretch, hitting two threes while Logan added the remaining two points.
• Following another Camel field goal, Watson went back to work to close the quarter, adding a jumper to give her 13 of the Spartans' 22 points scored in the quarter and a 13-point lead. After falling behind 4-0 to open the game, Upstate outscored Campbell 22-5 over the remainder of the frame.

Second Quarter

• Upstate opened the second quarter in similar fashion to how it ended the first as Terah Harness began the quarter's scoring with a three-ball. Campbell countered with a layup before the Spartans scored the next seven points, outscoring the Camels 10-2 between the start of the quarter and the media timeout.
• Out of the media timeout, Campbell converted two free throws to snap Upstate's 7-0 scoring run. Following the free throws, Watson and Rose each made layups to extend the Spartans' advantage to 23—their largest of the game.
• Cutting into Upstate's lead, Campbell used its longest run of the game, using a 9-0 stretch to cut the Spartan advantage to 14 heading into the late stages of the half. Ending the run and ending the half's scoring, Takia Davis tallied her first points of the game with a layup.

Third Quarter

• Beginning the third quarter how it did the second, Upstate tallied the first basket of the half as Molly Coleman opened with a layup. Campbell countered with a three and a pair of free throws to post a 5-0 run and trim into the Spartan lead.
• Snapping the Camel run with a three, Watson started a four-minute scoring stretch that saw Upstate outscore Campbell 15-9 and push its lead to 19. The Spartans outpaced Campbell during the stretch thanks in large part to their 3-of-3 shooting from distance.
• Over the final four minutes of the quarter, Campbell outscored Upstate 8-2, using its longest scoring run of the quarter—seven points—to open the final four minutes of the quarter.

Fourth Quarter

• Swinging momentum back in its favor, Upstate opened the fourth quarter on a 10-3 scoring run, scoring the first four points of the quarter before scoring six straight points following a Campbell three.
• Heading into the final four minutes of the game, Upstate and Campbell went shot-for-shot with one another as the Spartans provided an exact answer for each of the Camels scoring. The stretch upped the Spartan lead to 20 at 75-55.
• Over the final two-plus minutes of the game, Upstate scored its final six points of the contest from the free throw line. Watson, Davis, and Rose each finished the game, hitting both ends of each of their free throws.

 
Notable

• Posting a 19-point victory over Campbell Saturday, the win marked the largest scoring margin against a Big South opponent during the Becky Burke era (2020-pres.) of Upstate basketball. The victory also tied for the largest scoring margin against a Division I opponent under Burke, tying the Spartans earlier season victory at South Carolina State.
• Scoring a career-high 32 points Saturday, Chellia Watson secured her second 30-point game of the season, securing Upstate its first season with multiple individual 30-plus point scoring games since 2018-19. Watson also becomes the first player since Tee'Ara Copney in 2011-12 to post multiple 30-plus point scoring games in the same season.
• Shooting 62.5 percent from the field as a team, Upstate posted its third 60-plus percent scoring game of the season. The game marks the Spartans' best single-game field goal percentage against a Division I foe since shooting 61.4 percent against Gardner-Webb on Jan. 23, 2021.
• Seeing four double-figure scorers Saturday afternoon, Upstate extended its streak of games with multiple double-figure scorers to 22 games, including all 18 this season.

 
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