University of South Carolina Upstate Athletics
2-1,0-0Big South
Southern Wesleyan
0-0,0-0Conference Carolinas
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Wesleyan | 9 | 10 | 5 | 9 | 33 |
| USC Upstate | 20 | 12 | 14 | 22 | 68 |
11/7/2026 6:48:00 PM | Women's Basketball
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The USC Upstate women's basketball team delivered a dominant performance Saturday afternoon, defeating Southern Wesleyan 68-33 at the G.B. Hodge Center. The Spartans improved to 2-1 on the season behind a balanced offensive effort and a strong defensive showing.
Upstate set the tone early, opening the contest with a 13-1 run to establish control. Vera Söderblom, Grace Booth and Lexi Castator helped fuel the early surge as the Spartans built a 20-9 advantage by the end of the first quarter.
Southern Wesleyan briefly trimmed the deficit in the second quarter, pulling within 20-14, but Upstate responded with a 7-0 run. Haylie Lamonde connected from beyond the arc before Booth knocked down a pair of free throws to extend the advantage to 27-14. The Spartans continued to control the action and carried a 32-19 lead into halftime.
Upstate maintained its momentum after the break, outscoring the Warriors 14-5 in the third quarter. Keira Hudson and Booth provided key offensive contributions while Emma Blair added a pair of baskets inside to help the Spartans extend their advantage to 46-24 entering the final period.
The Spartans put the game away in the fourth quarter, closing with a 22-9 scoring advantage. After Southern Wesleyan cut the margin to 52-28, Upstate answered with a decisive 12-0 run. Hudson connected on a three-pointer, added a pair of free throws, and Jessa Troy capped the surge with a three-pointer to give the Spartans a commanding 64-28 lead.
Booth led all scorers with 14 points while adding eight rebounds and three steals. Blair and Hudson each finished with 11 points, with Blair pulling down eight rebounds and Hudson connecting on two three-pointers.
Söderblom contributed seven points and six rebounds, while Castator added four points, five rebounds and two blocked shots. Lamonde finished with five points and four assists, while Troy provided a spark off the bench with three points.
Upstate finished the afternoon shooting 49.1 percent from the field (27-of-55), including 5-of-18 from three-point range. The Spartans also converted 9-of-13 attempts at the free-throw line.
Defensively, Upstate held Southern Wesleyan to just 17.0 percent shooting (8-of-47) and 10.0 percent from beyond the arc (2-of-20).
The Spartans controlled the glass with a 51-20 rebounding advantage and held a 42-8 edge in points in the paint. Upstate also dominated second-chance opportunities, scoring 14 points compared to two for the Warriors.
Upstate's bench contributed 37 points, while the Spartans recorded 11 steals and five blocked shots in the victory.
The Spartans will return to action on Tuesday, November 10, traveling to Orangeburg, S.C. to take on the South Carolina State Bulldogs. Tip is scheduled for 7 p.m.
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