SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Opening rivalry week for the USC Upstate basketball programs, USC Upstate women's basketball scratched and clawed in the final minutes to grit out a 68-66 victory over rival Presbyterian Tuesday night at the G.B. Hodge Center.
 
Trailing by three with 47 seconds to play, freshman guard Rachael Rose spotted up from the right corner, tying the game with her lone made triple. Following a Presbyterian turnover, she knifed to the basket with 12 seconds to play, drawing a foul before stepping to the line for a pair of free-throw conversions and a two-point lead.
 
Scoring the final seven points for Upstate, Rose was one of four Spartans to reach double-figures, being joined by senior forward Molly Coleman, junior guard Jada Logan, and redshirt sophomore guard Chellia Watson. Coleman led the group behind a career-best scoring game, tying her career-high with a game-best 24 points, shooting 66.7 percent (12-of-18) from the floor while adding five rebounds.
 
Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 68; Presbyterian 66
Records: USC Upstate (19-6; 11-3 Big South); Presbyterian (9-15; 4-10 Big South)
Location: G.B. Hodge Center | Spartanburg, S.C.
 
How It Happened
First Quarter

• After seeing Upstate's Chellia Watson open the scoring with a layup, Presbyterian provided a quick answer with a 5-0 scoring run to stake an early advantage.
• The Spartans flipped the lead behind a 7-0 scoring stretch seeing field goals from Watson, Molly Coleman, and Jada Logan with Coleman's field goal coming from deep, her lone three attempt of the game.
• Building out its lead to six midways through the quarter, Upstate extended its scoring run to 13-4 while holding the Blue Hose to 2-of-6 from the floor in the stretch.

Second Quarter

• Extending its lead to the largest of the game, 12 points, Upstate embarked on a 10-0 scoring run, blending its scoring from the floor and the field to stake a 29-17 lead.
• Fighting its way back into the game, Presbyterian outscored Upstate 12-5 over the final six minutes of the first half, pulling within as few as three points with 40 seconds to play in the half. Watson closed the half with a driving layup to give the Spartans a five-point advantage into the locker room.

Third Quarter

• Over the first five minutes of the second half, neither team made consecutive shots as the Spartans and Blue Hose went toe-to-toe with one another. Presbyterian outscored Upstate over the period 11-8, cutting Upstate's advantage to two.
• Widening its advantage once again, Upstate tallied the first back-to-back baskets of the second half, bookending a Presbyterian field goal with two 4-0 runs. The 8-2 scoring stretch pushed the lead back eight.
• Presbyterian countered with a 5-0 run to pull within three in the final minute of the quarter before a Coleman layup sent the lead back to five into the quarter break.

Fourth Quarter

• Fighting back to regain the lead for the first time since the first quarter, the Blue Hose used a 10-2 scoring run to take a 59-58 lead with 5:49 to play. Watson halted the momentum of the run with a three from the left wing to retake the lead for the Spartans following the scoring stretch.
• Taking its largest lead of the game, Presbyterian followed Watson's three with a 7-2 scoring advantage, aided by five makes from the free throw line to take a three-point lead into the final minute.
• Scoring the final five points of the game, Rachael Rose took over once again with the game on the line. She tied things with a three before drawing a foul and hitting two clutch free throws to lift Upstate to victory.

 
Notable

• Behind a game-high 24 points, Molly Coleman tied her career-high scoring total, equaling her 24-point effort against UNC Asheville on Feb. 5, 2021. Her 24 points Tuesday night came on a career-high 12 made field goals, besting the 11 she hit against Asheville on Feb. 5, 2021.
• Passing out 17 assists Tuesday night, Upstate secured its fourth straight game with double-digit team assists. The 17 assists stand as the third-best team total for the Spartans during Big South play.
• Seeing four double-figure scorers against Presbyterian, Upstate extended its streak of games with multiple double-figure scorers to 29 games, including all 25 this season.

 
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