SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Opening Big South play inside the G.B. Hodge Center as the new year begins, USC Upstate women's basketball displayed its resolve Thursday evening versus Winthrop, offering a second-half comeback attempt as it sought to erase a deficit that grew as large as 21 before falling 63-54 to the Eagles.
 
For the second straight contest, redshirt freshman guard Cassie Gallagher notched a career-best scoring total behind an 18-point scoring output. Drawing eight fouls, she tallied seven of her 18 markers from the charity stripe, hitting seven of her eight attempts, a career-high for free throws. She added four made field goals on the night with three of her makes coming from beyond the arc.
 
Just shy of double-figures, junior guard Jeni Levine totaled nine points, scoring seven of her nine markers in the fourth quarter. She also passed out a team-high four assists and generated three steals to complement her scoring total.
 
Game Information
Score: Winthrop 63; USC Upstate 54
Records: USC Upstate (3-11; 0-1 Big South); Winthrop (7-7; 1-0 Big South)
Location: G.B. Hodge Center | Spartanburg, S.C.
 
How It Happened
First Quarter

• Despite losing the opening tap, Winthrop began the day's scoring with a layup on its first possession before Upstate answered with a pair of free throws from AC Markham. The Spartans' first made field goal came from Cassie Gallagher, snapping a 6-0 scoring run from the Eagles.
• Answering a Winthrop jumper, Upstate crafted a 5-0 scoring stretch as Gwen Jenkins knocked down a three before Vera Soderblom laid one home to close the run, pulling Upstate within one. The Eagles closed the quarter on a 9-0 scoring run, pushing its lead to double digits for the first time.

 
Second Quarter

• Ending the Eagles' 9-0 run, Ava Miller opened the scoring in the second stanza with a layup off an assist from Jeni Levine. Adding to its quarter-ending run, Winthrop responded to Miller's field goal with a 12-0 scoring run, upping its advantage to 21 with a 21-2 scoring stretch.
• Seeing the Eagles grow the lead to as large as 21, Upstate began chipping away at the disadvantage as it offered a 10-2 scoring stretch in response. The stretch featured the Spartans' longest scoring run, eight straight points, five coming from Gallagher.

 
Third Quarter

• Continuing to chip away at the Eagle lead, Upstate responded to Winthrop's first field goal of the second half with an 8-3 scoring stretch, seeing five of the eight points coming from the free throw line. Lele Tanuvasa knocked down the Spartans' lone field goal of the quarter, a three in the team's longest run of the period.

 
Fourth Quarter

• Kicking the game's trend of extended scoring stretches, the final stanza saw each side answer one another over the first three minutes of the quarter before Upstate notched the first consecutive field goals, offering a 5-0 scoring stretch behind an AC Markham layup and Gallagher three.
• Winthrop answered with a 5-0 scoring run of its own before Upstate scored seven of the next nine points, cutting the deficit to eight with 1:28 to play. The final seven points of the game came from the free throw line as the Eagles outpaced the Spartans by one, creating the final margin.

 
Notable

• Leading the Spartans with 18 points, Cassie Gallagher notched a career-high scoring total for the second consecutive game. Her total marked her team-leading eighth double-figure scoring game of the season.

 
Up Next for the Spartans
Off the team's first bye of Big South play, Upstate hits the road for the first time during the league slate, heading to Presbyterian next Wednesday. Tip-off between the Spartans and Blue Hose is set for 6:30 p.m. ET.
 
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