CHARLESTON, S.C. – Continuing to display its resolve as the Big South Conference slate's first half closes, USC Upstate women's basketball fought its way back from a deficit that grew as large as 19 points, offering a furious fourth-quarter comeback attempt Wednesday evening versus Charleston Southern. The Spartans' comeback attempt, however, fell just short in a 62-58 setback.
 
Heading the Upstate comeback effort, redshirt sophomore forward Vera Soderblom fashioned a career-best outing, dropping a career-high 15 markers. Her 15 points come after she tied her then-career-high eight markers against Longwood Saturday as she shot a career-best 6-of-7 from the field against Charleston Southern, adding five rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
 
Redshirt freshman guard Lele Tanuvasa joined Soderblom in double-figures, posting a career-high-tying 10 points while pulling in four rebounds. Just shy of double-figures, freshman guard Gwen Jenkins added nine markers and passed out a career-best five assists. On the glass, senior forward Rebekah Gordon corralled a team-high eight boards.
 
Game Information
Score: Charleston Southern 62; USC Upstate 58
Records: USC Upstate (5-16; 2-6 Big South); Charleston Southern (9-12; 5-3 Big South)
Location: Buccaneer Fieldhouse | Charleston, S.C.
 
How It Happened
First Quarter

• Beginning the night's scoring, Rebekah Gordon put the Spartans on the board first, knocking down a hook shot from the block. Charleston Southern, however, countered with a 6-0 scoring run to gain the advantage for the first time.
• Upstate responded with the next nine markers kickstarted by a Cassie Gallagher three-ball. Vera Soderblom followed with back-to-back layups for the Spartans before the stretch concluded with a pair of makes from the line by Gwen Jenkins. The Buccaneers ended the quarter on a 7-0 run to regain the lead.

 
Second Quarter

• Snapping the Buccaneer run, Lele Tanuvasa posted the first four Spartan markers of the quarter, putting home a pair of driving layups, putting the lead back in Upstate's favor. The two sides remained close with one another throughout much of the quarter before Charleston Southern connected on consecutive threes.
• Chipping away at the Buccaneer lead, Tanuvasa collected the final two Spartan field goals of the half. She cut the disadvantage to three, beating the halftime buzzer with a layup for the second straight game.

 
Third Quarter

• In the game's lowest-scoring quarter, much of Charleston Southern's points came from the free throw line, hitting eight times from the charity stripe. For the Spartans' Ava Miller, Soderblom, and AC Markham hit field goals in the period.

 
Fourth Quarter

• Pushing its lead to the largest of the night—19 points—Charleston Southern began the final stanza with three made three-pointers. The Spartans responded as Jenkins and Gallagher hit a three and layup, respectively, to snap a 14-0 scoring run.
• Following a fourth Buccaneer trey in the quarter, Upstate began its comeback bid with a 9-0 scoring run headed by five markers from Jeni Levine. The Spartans upped the scoring stretch to 13-1 as Soderblom hit consecutive layups pulling within five with 1:12 to play. The layups sandwiched a key drawn charge from Gallagher to win back possession for the Spartans.
• Over the final minute, Upstate outpaced Charleston Southern 7-5 on the scoreboard, hitting the half's final two field goals—a layup from Gordon and a three (at the buzzer) from Gallagher. The Buccaneers hit five free throws in the final minute to escape with a four-point victory.

 
Notable

• Assisting on 17 of its 24 made field goals Wednesday, Upstate tied its season high for assists against a Division I opponent. The 17 assists ties the Spartans' 17—on 23 made field goals—against UNC Greensboro on Nov. 9, 2024.

 
Up Next for the Spartans
Beginning the rematch portion of the team's Big South Conference schedule, USC Upstate returns to the G.B. Hodge Center Saturday, hosting Radford to begin a two-game homestand. The Spartans and Highlanders tip at 4 p.m. ET.
 
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