GREENSBORO, N.C. – Engaging in what is becoming an annual "Battle of the Spartans" on the hardwood, USC Upstate women's basketball fought its way through four quarters as it attempted a late-period comeback against UNC Greensboro before falling short in a 62-54 road decision.
 
After fighting back to pull within a possession at both the first-quarter and halftime breaks, Upstate faced a loftier deficit coming out of the third quarter. The visiting Spartans didn't shy away, outscoring UNCG in the final frame, however, Upstate couldn't overcome the deficit entering the final quarter. Spurring the team's comeback attempt, Upstate shot a game-best 66.7 percent from the field in the period, hitting six of nine shot attempts. Over the entire 40 minutes, Upstate shot 46.9 percent from the field (23-of-49) while proving efficient (41.7 percent) from beyond the arc, canning five of 12 three-point attempts.
 
Three Spartans finished the afternoon in double-figures headed by a season-best 15 points from junior guard Jeni Levine. Her total finished three markers shy of her career-high and stands as her second career game scoring 15-plus points. Redshirt freshman guard Cassie Gallagher and senior forward Rebekah Gordon contributed 10 points apiece with Gallagher hitting double-digits in the scoring column for the first time in her career.
 
Gallagher paced Upstate with a career-high eight rebounds on the glass as she bid for her first double-double. Just shy of Gallagher's total on the boards, redshirt sophomore forward Vera Soderblom corralled seven missed shots, five of which came on the offensive glass.
 
Game Information
Score: UNC Greensboro 62; USC Upstate 54
Records: USC Upstate (0-2; 0-0 Big South); UNC Greensboro (2-0; 0-0 SoCon)
Location: Fleming Gymnasium | Greensboro, N.C.
 
How It Happened
First Quarter

• Jumping out to an early advantage, UNC Greensboro hit the first two field goals of the day to stake a four-point cushion. Upstate's answer proved a pair of three-pointers from Cassie Gallagher as she knocked down the pair from the left wing.
• Retaking the lead, UNCG reeled off the next eight markers while forcing Upstate to commit six turnovers. Jeni Levine, like Gallagher earlier in the period, snapped the scoring streak for the home Spartans as she tallied the final four points of the quarter, a pair of free throws and a pull-up jumper, to cut the lead to two at the break.

 
Second Quarter

• Despite conceding the opening basket of the second frame, Upstate battled back once again, erasing a four-point disadvantage to regain the lead. Rebekah Gordon and Vera Soderblom led an 8-1 scoring run for Upstate with Gordon scoring six of the markers.
• UNCG answered Upstate's latest lead with another extended scoring spurt, this time a 7-0 run, to flip back the advantage. As it did early in the first quarter, Upstate retook control behind a pair of threes with Gwen Jenkins and Aubrie Kierscht nailing the triples.
• Closing the half, both sets of Spartans remained fairly even from the field, hitting three field goals and scoring six points from the field each. The difference proved at the free throw line where UNCG's five makes made the difference in an 11-6 run to close the half that delivered a three-point lead into the locker room.

 
Third Quarter

• Controlling the scoring out of the halftime break, Upstate scored the first four tallies of the new half with Gracie Barnes and AC Markham hitting consecutive field goals. Adding to the Spartans' scoring run to open the half, Jeni Levine tacked on five points, pushing the stretch to 9-4 in favor of the visiting Spartans.
• After regaining the lead at the halfway point of the third quarter, UNCG held Upstate without a field goal for the remainder of the period. The host Spartans fashioned a 13-1 run over the quarter's final five minutes, including its longest run of the day (9-0) to close the stanza.

 
Fourth Quarter

• Snapping UNCG's nine-point scoring run, Rebekah Gordon knocked down a hook shot to start a personal run to open the final quarter. She scored four consecutive points for the visiting Spartans to begin the fourth with her second answering UNCG's largest lead of the game (13 points).
• Digging into the UNCG lead, four different Spartans scored for Upstate as it attempted a comeback, leading to an 8-3 close in favor of Upstate to end the afternoon.

 
Notable

• Scoring 10 points, one of three Spartans in double-figures, Cassie Gallagher secured the first double-figure scoring game of her career. She also corralled a career-best eight rebounds as she bid for her first double-double.
• Adding to her team-high 15 markers, Jeni Levine passed out five assists, a season-high, and a total finishing one shy of her career-high. Another Spartan finishing just shy of her career-high, Vera Soderblom pulled in seven rebounds, including five off the offensive glass.

 
Up Next for the Spartans
Upstate continues its season-opening three-game road swing next Wednesday with a trip to South Carolina State. The Spartans and Bulldogs are set for a 6:30 p.m. ET tip-off in Orangeburg, S.C.
 
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