SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Back at the G.B. Hodge Center to begin a four-game homestand, USC Upstate women's basketball battled valiantly in its second home game of the season, seeing its fourth-quarter comeback attempt fall short in 65-48 setback Friday evening versus Queens.
 
Three Spartans finished the evening scoring in double-figures with junior guard Jeni Levine heading the group with a season-high-tying 15 points—her third career 15-plus point scoring game. Senior forward Rebekah Gordon put forth a season-high 12 markers and sophomore guard Gracie Barnes contributed a career-high-tying 10 points to round out the trio of double-figure scorers. Just shy of double-figures, redshirt freshman guard Lele Tanuvasa recorded a career-high eight points.
 
On the glass, senior forward AC Markham led all players with seven rebounds, leading Upstate to 35 total rebounds to outpace the Royals by six boards. Levine paced the Spartans in assists, handing out three, her third straight contest and fourth overall with three or more helpers in 2024-25.
 
Game Information
Score: Queens 65; USC Upstate 58
Records: USC Upstate (1-5; 0-0 Big South); Queens (2-3; 0-0 ASUN)
Location: G.B. Hodge Center | Spartanburg, S.C.
 
How It Happened
First Quarter

• Opening the game's scoring, Queens jumped to an early lead with the day's first four markers. The Spartans, however, responded with the next four as Cassie Gallagher and Jeni Levine hit shots in the paint.
• The Royals answered Upstate's tying of the contest with their longest scoring run of the day, stringing six straight points. Increasing its lead, Queens fashioned a 10-2 scoring stretch, extending the lead to eight with two minutes to play in the period. Upstate closed the quarter with the final five points, a three from Levine and a jumper from Emma Blair to trim the deficit to three at the break.

 
Second Quarter

• Snapping the Spartans' scoring run, Queens opened the second quarter with a made three before Blair answered with her second field goal of the night. Queens grew its lead back to six but the Spartans fought back to erase the deficit with its longest scoring run of the game, an 8-0 scoring stretch spurred by four markers from Gracie Barnes.
• Both sides closed the half going perfect from the field over the final four-and-a-half minutes of the second quarter. Queens pulled away just slightly at the buzzer, hitting five field goals—three triples—compared to Upstate's two, however, the Spartans knocked down three free throws, keeping the Royals' advantage at four.

 
Third Quarter

• Closing the gap coming out of the locker room, Upstate opened the new half keeping pace with Queens, outscoring the Royals six to four. Barnes added four points in the stretch as Upstate closed the deficit to two twice before a Royals' three extended the lead.
• Growing its advantage, Queens offered a 9-2 scoring stretch into the final two minutes of the quarter, pushing the lead to 10 for the first time. A free throw and Lele Tanuvasa layup cut the lead back to single digits at the end of the stanza.

 
Fourth Quarter

• Responding to a Queens' layup to begin the final frame, Rebekah Gordon knocked down a three from the top of the key, trimming the lead back to single digits once again. The Royals behind a 5-0 scoring run expanded the advantage to 13 points—the largest of the day—with 4:51 to play.
• Not backing down while facing a double-digit deficit, the Spartans offered a 6-0 scoring run paced by four points from Levine to cut the lead to seven into the final minute. Closing the night, Upstate recorded six of the final seven points of the night with Tanuvasa registering four markers in the streak.

 
Up Next for the Spartans
Continuing the team's four-game homestand, Upstate returns to action Monday evening, hosting Clinton College. The Spartans and Golden Bears meet for the first time with a 7 p.m. ET tip.
 
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