Rock Hill, S.C. – The visiting Spartans of USC Upstate rallied with a late run to defeat Winthrop at home Saturday afternoon.
Winthrop (12-12, 6-5 Big South) | USC Upstate (6-18, 3-8 Big South)
Feb. 8, 2025 | Winthrop Coliseum
Winthrop 48, USC Upstate 52
How it Happened
First Quarter | Winthrop held the Spartans to just one field goal in the first three and a half minutes as the Eagles led 7-2. USC Upstate went on a 10-0 to jump out in front 12-7 at the 2:06 mark while also holding the Eagles scoreless for five minutes.
Konnor Gambrell ended Winthrop's offensive drought with a bucket down low with 1:19, making the score 12-9 in favor of the visitors. After an Upstate free throw, Gambrell threw up a circus shot in the paint and it dropped with 16 seconds left and left Winthrop down 13-11 at the end of one.
Second Quarter | The Spartans scored six of the first seven points of the second quarter to extend their lead to seven at 19-12 at the 5:46 mark. Winthrop responded by cutting the margin in half on a free throw and another basket by Gambrell in a one-minute span. USC Upstate took it back up to seven on a three-pointer at the 3:20 mark only to have
Olivia Wagner do the same immediately thereafter, making it a four-point game once again.
Nuria Cunill's score in the paint at the 1:20 mark represented the final score of the half for both teams, as Winthrop trailed 22-20 at intermission.
Third Quarter | USC Upstate came out of the locker room and went up 30-22 at the 6:48 mark. Winthrop cut it to four on a Wagner triple and a free throw by Gambrell one minute later only to have the Spartans score on a fastbreak layup on their next possession. The Spartans were then held scoreless for five minutes while the Eagles went on an 8-0 run to seize a 34-32 lead with 49 seconds left. Upstate wrapped up the quarter with two free throws with 34 seconds to go, resulting in a tie score heading to the fourth.
Fourth Quarter | Winthrop was down 38-36 with 8:09 left before an 11-0 run gave the Eagles a 47-38 lead with 3:56 remaining.
Amourie Porter and
Mya Pierfax combined for nine of the 11 points for Winthrop during the run. But then the Spartans responded with a 14-1 run in the last three minutes to win the game, 52-48.
Statistical Standouts (Team)
- Winthrop moves to 624-919 all-time as a program
- Winthrop moves to 218-380 all-time in Big South games
- Winthrop moves to 358-330 all-time at home
- Winthrop shot 57% from the free throw line in the contest
- Winthrop held the Spartans to 22% from the field in the second quarter
- Winthrop held the Spartans to 8% from three-point range
- Four Eagles played more than 30 minutes
- Porter was in double figures in rebounds with 10 and fell a basket short of a double-double
Statistical Standouts (Individual)
Konnor Gambrell (27 min., 6-9 FG, 16 points)
Amourie Porter (32 min., 10 rebounds, 8 points)
Up Next
Winthrop heads to Radford on Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 7:00 p.m.
FOLLOW US!
For all the up-to-date information on Winthrop Women's Basketball, follow along on X at @WinthropWBB, Instagram at winthropwbb and Facebook at facebook.com/WinthropWBB.
