SPARTANBURG, S.C. – USC Upstate women's basketball returned to an electric G.B. Hodge Center this evening after a two-game road stand. Tonight's Ingles I-26 rivalry matchup against UNC Asheville proved to be a gritty and exciting game, one in which the Spartans earned their first conference win 60-57.
 
Finding themselves down early in the first quarter and trailing by as many as ten points, the Spartans used grit and determination for a comeback win over the Bulldogs. Redshirt junior forward Zora Fray-Chinn sparked the 12-0 Spartan run to end the first quarter, hitting a three-pointer off an assist from redshirt freshman guard Cassie Gallagher.
 
Outscoring UNC Asheville in the second quarter, redshirt freshman guard Lele Tanuvasa made back-to-back layups midway through the second quarter to keep the momentum going in favor of the Spartans. She finished the night with six points, tying her career-high in rebounds with five. Senior forward AC Markham proved big on both ends of the floor, grabbing four defensive boards while adding two blocks and adding four points.
 
Junior guard Jeni Levine scored a career-high 21 points, including 16 in the fourth quarter, exceeding her previous season-high scoring in the fourth alone. Making 15 attempts from the charity stripe, she tied her previous season-high using just made free throws.
 
Game Information
Score: UNC Asheville 57; USC Upstate 60
Records: USC Upstate (4-13; 1-3 Big South); UNC Asheville (2-15; 0-4 Big South)
Location: G.B. Hodge Center | Spartanburg, S.C.
 
How It Happened
First Quarter

• The Bulldogs won the tipoff and jumped out to an early lead on a 13-2 run. A three-pointer by Zora Fray-Chinn followed by a jumper by Lele Tanuvasa helped the Spartans fight back.
• Emma Blair scored a layup and made the free throw to put the Spartans within two points. Jeni Levine knocked down two free throws, followed by a Cassie Gallagher three to put the Spartans up by two at the end of the quarter

 
Second Quarter

• UNC Asheville evened the score at the start of the quarter, but Upstate kept building momentum and maintained the lead.
• Lele Tanuvasa with back-to-back layups followed by a Rebekah Gordon jumper and three-pointer from Gracie Barnes put the Spartans up by 10. The Bulldogs kept fighting, but Upstate held the advantage heading into the halftime break.

 
Third Quarter

• UNC Asheville pulled within two halfway through the quarter, but Emma Blair made a layup followed by Jeni Levine from the charity stripe to extend the Spartan lead.

 
Fourth Quarter

• Jeni Levine dominated the fourth quarter, opening the scoring for the Spartans with a layup, followed by two free throws. Her and-one layup extended the lead for Upstate by eight points.
• AC Markham knocked down a pair of free throws, but UNC Asheville pulled within four shortly after. A three-pointer by Cassie Gallagher followed by an AC Markham layup gave the Spartans a 53-46 advantage.
• Putting the Spartans on her back, Jeni Levine made seven free throws in the last minute of the game to propel the Spartans to victory.

 
Notable

• Jeni Levine's 15 made free throws tie a Division I era (2007-pres.) record, equaling Riley Popplewell's 15 made free throws against Longwood on January 11, 2020, and Tamera Thorpe's against NJIT on February 24, 2018.
• Jeni Levine's 19 free throw attempts are D1 era single-game record.
• Her 19 free throw attempts are tied for the ninth most in a NCAA game this year, and are the most by a Big South player in 2024-2025
• Her 15 made free throws are the most by a Big South Player this season and tied for 10th most in an NCAA game this year.

 
UP Next for the Spartans
On the road for their next contest, the Spartans will face Gardner-Webb on Saturday, January 18th at 1:00 pm ET.
 
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