Rebekah Gordon versus High Point
Rebekah Gordon versus High Point
59
Winner USC Upstate USCU 10-9,5-1 Big South
49
High Point HP 9-10,4-2 Big South
Winner
USC Upstate USCU
10-9,5-1 Big South
59
Final
49
High Point HP
9-10,4-2 Big South
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
USC Upstate USCU 8 14 11 26 59
High Point HP 10 15 9 15 49

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Upstate Spartans Upset High Point Panthers In a 59-49 Comeback Victory on the Road

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The USC Upstate women's basketball program continued to show its resiliency on the court after it secured its fifth conference win of the season with a 59-49 comeback road win over High Point on Wednesday evening.  

Upstate found itself trailing as the game began but was quick to stack points to make the game 8-6 before the Panthers finished the quarter on a scoring run. Dakota Reeves and AC Markham posted three points each while Rebekah Gordon pitched in two as well. Isabell West led the team in not only rebounds (2) but also steals (2). West, Trinity Johnson, and Zora Fray-Chinn were all credited with an assist in the first quarter as they helped the Spartans keep the game close.  

After a quiet first quarter, both the Spartans and the Panthers were able to find more success getting to the basket as High Point outscored Upstate by one point. Johnson found another gear in the second quarter as she led the Spartans on offense with nine points and two assists. The graduate student was able to show composure as she went 7-9 from the free throw line to help Upstate reach its 22 points at halftime. Markham found some success from distance while Fray-Chinn found success in the paint. At the break, Upstate had more success in the paint (6-4), more points off second chances (5-0), and more points off the bench (10-2). 

Following the halftime break, Upstate continued to chip away at the Panthers lead and did not allow High Point to lead by more than five points. Upstate outscored High Point 11-9 with its success coming from distance this quarter while the Panthers struggled from the three-point arc. Markham and Jeni Levine were massive keys to the Spartans success from distance while West remained dangerous under the basket. Upstate's ability to remain composed with time ticking away helped it bring the game within one point going into the final 10 minutes.  

The final quarter started with both the Panthers reaching a five-point lead just before the Spartans went on a 10-point run which included a pair of made free throws from Johnson with just over six minutes remaining. High Point didn't let up and was able to tie the game 43-43 with just over four minutes remaining. Coming out of the final media timeout, the Spartans were determined to walk away with a win and outscored the Panthers 17-9 in the final minutes, including going 8-8 for from the free throw line in the final 90 seconds. J. Levine (9) and West (8) proved to be the heroes of the quarter as they posted 17 of Upstate's 26 fourth quarter points. West (6-6), Levine (4-4), Reeves (2-2), and Johnson (2-2) all made the most of the free points they were awarded when it came down to it to help Upstate walk away with the 59-49 win.  

 
Game Information 
Score: USC Upstate 65; High Point 
Records: USC Upstate (10-9; 5-1 Big South) vs. High Point (9-10; 4-2 Big South)  
Location: Qubein Center | High Point, N.C.        

How It Happened: 

First Quarter: Upstate 8; High Point 10 

  • High Point began the game with six points as Upstate got its first basket off a Reeves' three-pointer with 6:55 left in the first quarter. 

  • Reeves' three was the start of an eight-point scoring run that saw Upstate take the lead (8-6). 

  • The Panthers went scoreless for nearly four minutes but were able to score the last two baskets of the first quarter to go into the second quarter with a two-point lead (10-8). 

Second Quarter: Upstate 22; High Point 25 

  • The Spartans and the Panthers exchanged points to start the second quarter but High Point remained with the lead after the first three minutes (15-11). 

  • High Point knocked down another four points to make the game 20-11 going into the media timeout.  

  • Following the media timeout, High Point posted another two points before Upstate went on a nine-point scoring run to bring the game within two (22-20). 

  • In the final minute of the half, the Panthers outscored the Spartans 3-2 to retain the lead going into the break (25-22). 

Third Quarter: Upstate 33; High Point 34 

  • The first two minutes saw two points for the Panthers and three points for the Spartans to bring the game to 27-25 in favor of hosting High Point. 

  • Over the next four minutes, Upstate was able to sink one from distance while the Panthers evened it out with three points of their own (31-28). 

  • Upstate outscored High Point 5-2 in the final four minutes of the third quarter to bring the game within one (34-33). 

Fourth Quarter: Upstate 59; High Point 49 

  • The first two minutes of the final quarter saw four points for the Panthers and only a pair of made free throws for the Spartans (38-35). 

  • In the three minutes that followed, Upstate outscored High Point by six points and held the Panthers to only two points to take the lead before the media timeout (43-40). 

  • Upstate continued its success on offense scoring another nine points while High Point was only able to knock down another five points (51-45). 

  • In the final 90 seconds, Upstate went 8-8 for free throws to give themselves some distance from High Point while the Panthers posted another four, which was not enough to down the Spartans. 

    

Notable 

  • Isabell West had her 13th game of the season scoring in double figures with the 10 points she scored today and this is the eighth straight game West has scored in double-figures.  

  • AC Markham tied her season-high for scoring for the third time with 11 points against the Panthers and had her third game of the season scoring in double figures.  

  • Trinity Johnson led the Spartans with 14 points for her ninth game of the season scoring in double figures. Johnson has scored in double figures in five of Upstate's last six contests. 

  • Jeni Levine scored 12 points after missing the last few games for Upstate which was her eighth game scoring in double figures.  

  • Johnson made a season-high nine free throws.  

Up Next for the Spartans  
Upstate will finish the week close to home against Gardner-Webb in Boiling Springs on Saturday afternoon.  
 

Join us for the Spartan Winter Golf Classic supporting the Upstate Athletic Fund  

The USC Upstate Athletic Fund will host the Spartan Winter Golf Classic on Saturday, February 3, 2024 at Woodfin Ridge Golf Club in Inman.  The Spartan Winter Golf Classic is a signature event on the Upstate Athletic Fund (UAF) calendar with proceeds directly benefiting Spartan athletics and the on-field efforts of its student-athletes. Registration and sponsorship information is now available online, click here for complete details. 

  

USC Upstate sponsoring I-26 Rivalry Canned Food Drive presented by Ingles  

Help the Spartans score three bonus points in the yearlong rivalry series against UNC Asheville, the Ingles I-26 Rivalry, by donating canned and non-perishable food items when you attend home events through Saturday, February 10!  Donations are accepted at the Hodge Center everyday including gamedays and look for more Ingles store drop off locations and special incentives for donations on our @UpstateSpartans social media accounts!   All donations support Miracle Hill Ministries in Spartanburg. 

   
   

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