USC Upstate women’s basketball lost to UNC Asheville 63-57 in a close game at the G.B. Hodge Center, concluding this season’s Ingles I-26 Rivalry Series on February 14. The Spartans attempted a comeback in the fourth quarter after trailing by as many as 12 points but ultimately fell short.
Cassie Gallagher led all scorers with 22 points, marking her ninth game this season with at least 20 points. She shot 7-of-16 from the field and made three out of five attempts from beyond the arc. Aubrie Kierscht also reached double figures for USC Upstate, scoring 10 points and making two three-pointers.
The teams were tied at halftime, each scoring 23 points by the break. UNC Asheville started strong in the second half and managed to build a lead that they maintained through the rest of the game. In the final quarter, UNC Asheville extended their advantage with a key scoring run while holding USC Upstate without a field goal for over four minutes.
Emma Blair ended Upstate’s drought late in the fourth quarter, helping spark a 9-0 run that brought the Spartans within three points with less than a minute left. However, UNC Asheville secured their win by converting free throws in the closing seconds.
For the first time during Big South Conference play this season, USC Upstate was outrebounded by an opponent, losing that margin 29 to 26. Previously, they had either won or tied the rebounding battle in all other conference games.
USC Upstate will travel to face Radford next Wednesday for one of their final road games of the season.
