SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Wrapping the first Spartan Shootout Thanksgiving MTE, USC Upstate women's basketball continued its gritty efforts, engaging in another battle against Bellarmine. The team's second contest in as many days saw the contest decided in the game's final quarter as the Knights outlasted the Spartans 72-64 Saturday afternoon at the G.B. Hodge Center.
 
For the second consecutive game, a career-high scoring effort led the Spartans as redshirt freshman guard Cassie Gallagher poured in a career-best 14 points, scoring in double-figures for the third straight game—tied for the longest stretch of her career. Propelling her career-best scoring effort, she tied her career-high with five made field goals. Redshirt freshman forward Emma Blair offered a career-best point total for the third straight game, posting her first double-figure scoring game with 10 markers behind a 4-of-6 shooting day.
 
Adding to her career day, Blair pulled in a career-high nine rebounds as she bid for her first career double-double. Recording her third double-double of the season, senior forward Rebekah Gordon tallied 11 points and 10 boards while senior forward AC Markham notched a season-high 10 markers, rounding out the group of double-figure scorers.
 
Pacing the team's offense, junior guard Jeni Levine dished out seven assists for the second straight day, tying her career high.
 
Game Information
Score: Bellarmine 72; USC Upstate 64
Records: USC Upstate (2-7; 0-0 Big South); Bellarmine (7-2; 0-0 ASUN)
Location: G.B. Hodge Center | Spartanburg, S.C.
 
How It Happened
First Quarter

• Despite losing the opening tap, Bellarmine opened the game's scoring with a made field goal nearly a minute-and-a-half into the contest, scoring four of the first six points of the day for an early lead. Rebekah Gordon, adding to her stretch of five consecutive markers to open the day for Upstate, knocked down a three to deliver Upstate the lead. Her three kickstarted a 5-0 Spartan run.
• Behind a pair of threes over the final four minutes of the quarter, the Knights staked an 11-8 advantage into the final minute of the stanza. The Spartans' second triple of the quarter, coming with 11 seconds left on the clock from AC Markham tied the game at the period break.

 
Second Quarter

• Breaking the seal on the basket for the second straight frame, Bellarmine notched the first point of the quarter at the free throw line. Upstate followed with its longest scoring run of the game, kickstarted by another Markham three, scoring the next seven markers to send the Knights for a timeout.
• Cutting into the Spartans' lead, Bellarmine notched the next four points and six of the next nine as it trimmed the deficit to a single possession twice in the stretch. Upstate responded with six of the following nine points, pushing the advantage back to six. The Knights, however, closed the half on a 10-3 scoring run, staking a one-point margin at the half.

 
Third Quarter

• Fashioning another lopsided scoring stretch, Bellarmine opened the second half with a 10-4 scoring run, opening a seven-point advantage with 7:14 remaining in the quarter. The Spartans countered with a 10-3 scoring stretch to knot the game at 44 with 3:07 to play in the period. Cassie Gallagher fueled the stretch with six of the 10 Upstate points.
• Between the 3 and 2-minute marks of the quarter, Bellarmine knocked down both of its field goals compared to Upstate missing its two attempts, reclaiming the lead as the quarter waned. Lele Tanuvasa closed the period with a made layup, cutting the Knight advantage to three at the quarter break.

 
Fourth Quarter

• Adding to her field goal from the third quarter, Tanuvasa knocked down another jumper, crafting a personal four-point swing spanning the third and fourth quarters. Her bucket spurred a 7-1 scoring run to open the final stanza, building back the Spartan advantage.
• Responding to the Spartans' final lead of the day, Bellarmine offered a 16-4 scoring stretch to regain the lead for the final time, pushing the team's lead to its largest, nine points, with 3:08 remaining. Upstate looked to turn the tied following the Knight's largest lead, answering with a 7-3 scoring mark, cutting the deficit to five with 17 seconds to play. Bellarmine, however, hit three free throws in the final 15 seconds to ice the game.

 
Notable

• Scoring 11 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, Rebekah Gordon secured her third double-double of the 2024-25 season and her second in her last three games. She entered the season with one double-double to her credit in her career.
• Passing out seven assists Saturday versus Bellarmine to follow up her seven-assist game against Morehead State Friday, Jeni Levine becomes the first Spartan with consecutive seven-plus assists games since Trinity Johnson did so against Presbyterian and Radford on Jan. 31 and Feb. 3, 2024, respectively.

 
Up Next for the Spartans
Following the team's season-long homestand, USC Upstate begins its second three-game road swing of the season. The road trip starts with a trip to Ames, Iowa for a meeting with No. 15 Iowa State, featuring a 7:30 p.m. ET tip-off.
 
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