SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Back at home for the first time in nearly three weeks, USC Upstate women's basketball fed off the loud and energetic crowd at the G.B. Hodge Center Thursday morning as it gutted out a 65-59 victory over Lees-McRae, picking up the win on Ingles Education Day. The Spartans took the game in a wire-to-wire effort, the Spartans' first victory without surrendering the lead since Jan. 20, 2024.
 
Securing her team-best seventh double-figure scoring game of the season, redshirt freshman Cassie Gallagher poured in a career-high 17 points fueled by a career-best five makes from behind the arc. Her five triples tied the single-game-high for three-pointers made by a Spartan this season while also equaling her career-high for made field goals—she finished the afternoon with six made field goals, leading the Spartans.
 
Joining Gallagher in double-figures, junior guard Jeni Levine chipped in 10 points, her third double-figure scoring effort of the season. Just shy of double-figures, redshirt freshman forward Emma Blair and freshman forward Ava Miller added nine markers, finishing a point short of their career highs. On the glass, senior forward AC Markham corralled a career-best 12 rebounds, leading Upstate to a +18 rebounding margin.
 
Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 65; Lees-McRae 59
Records: USC Upstate (3-10; 0-0 Big South); Lees-McRae (4-6; 2-4 Conference Carolinas)
Location: G.B. Hodge Center | Spartanburg, S.C.
 
How It Happened
First Quarter

• Beginning the game with an administrative technical, Upstate staked a lead before the opening tip. Jeni Levine opened the game by scoring the first four points, building the Spartans a lead they wouldn't relinquish. Lees-McRae responded with the next three points, closing the lead to a single point—the smallest it would sit the remainder of the day.
• Growing its advantage, Upstate fashioned its longest scoring run of the day, responding with an 11-0 scoring stretch. Concurrently with their scoring stretch, the Spartans held Lees-McRae without a field goal for over four minutes, outscoring the Bobcats 14-2 over the stretch.

 
Second Quarter

• Despite ceding the first field goal of the new period, Upstate reeled off a 7-0 scoring run as it sought to regrow its advantage. The stretch grew to 11 to 2 in favor of the Spartans, pushing the lead to 18 with 3:46 to play in the half, the largest lead of the game.
• Closing the quarter as it looked to cut the Spartan lead, Lees-McRae crafted an 8-0 scoring run, trimming the lead down to 10 at the break.

 
Third Quarter

• Adding to their scoring run to close the locker room, the Bobcats knocked down the first field goal—a three—out of the break, extending its scoring run to 11 points. Upstate responded with a pair of triples with Levine and Ava Miller hitting the threes.
• Over the final five minutes of the quarter, Lees-McRae outpaced the Spartans 12-5 as it cut the Spartan lead to five at the stanza break. The run featured four made three-pointers, three coming from the Bobcats.

 
Fourth Quarter

• Providing a spark for the Spartans as the final quarter commenced, Cassie Gallagher knocked down a corner three, pushing the lead back to eight. Twice, Lees-McRae cut the Upstate lead to four with the Spartans responding to the second instance with the quarter's longest run (5-0), pushing the lead to nine.
• Following the Spartans' 5-0 scoring stretch, Upstate withstood the Bobcats' comeback attempt, holding Lees-McRae at bay in the final minute.

 
Notable

• Leading for the entire 40 minutes Thursday, USC Upstate won its first game without surrendering the lead of the 2024-25 season. The game marks the first such contest for the Spartans since Jan. 20, 2024, versus Radford.
• Fueling her career-high scoring effort, Cassie Gallagher made a career-best five three-pointers, tying Aubrie Kierscht's total from Nov. 13 at South Carolina State for the team single-game high in 2024-25.

 
Up Next for the Spartans
With the team's non-conference slate complete, USC Upstate turns its focus towards Big South play, returning to action to begin league play on Jan. 2. The Spartans host Winthrop in the conference opener with tip-off set for 7 p.m. ET.
 
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