(Interstat) — A defensive struggle defined by frigid shooting and a decisive advantage at the free-throw line propelled the South Carolina Upstate Spartans to a 55-44 road victory over the Western Carolina Catamounts in non-conference women’s basketball action on Wednesday afternoon at the Ramsey Center.

In a game where both teams combined to shoot just 24 of 103 from the field, the Spartans leveraged a 14-5 edge in offensive rebounds and a near-perfect 18-for-20 performance at the charity stripe to grind out the win. The loss extended Western Carolina’s skid to eight games, while South Carolina Upstate improved to 4-6.

The contest was a battle of offensive attrition from the opening tip. Western Carolina secured an early 13-8 lead after one quarter thanks to five points from Betsey Burnett. The Spartans, however, clamped down in the second period, holding the Catamounts to just eight points. A late three-pointer from Lexi Castator and two Cassie Gallagher free throws gave Upstate a slim 23-21 edge at the halftime break, a margin that hardly reflected the defensive intensity on display.

South Carolina Upstate began to create separation in the third quarter. With the Spartans leading 26-23, Gallagher found Gwen Jenkins for a three-pointer, and on the next possession, Zora Fray-Chinn connected from deep off a Castator assist to push the lead to nine. Western Carolina responded with a 9-0 run, fueled by two Taj Hunter three-pointers, to tie the game at 32. But Gallagher steadied the Spartans, sinking four consecutive free throws in the final minute to give Upstate a 36-32 advantage heading to the fourth.

The Spartans put the game away with a 10-2 run to start the final quarter. Gallagher hit a jumper and then assisted on another Castator three-pointer. After an Emma Blair layup and another Gallagher three, the lead ballooned to 46-34 with just over six minutes to play. Western Carolina could not muster a sustained offensive answer, as their shooting woes persisted. The Catamounts finished the game shooting a dismal 18.4 percent from the field and 13.3 percent from three-point range.

Gallagher, a 5-foot-11 guard from Cookeville, Tennessee, led all scorers with 19 points, adding five rebounds and three assists in 36 minutes. Her backcourt mate, Gwen Jenkins of Columbus, Ohio, contributed nine points and six rebounds. The Spartans were anchored inside by Aijah Palmore, a 6-foot-1 forward from Greensboro, North Carolina, who hauled in a game-high 13 rebounds to go with four points and a block.

Western Carolina was led by Betsey Burnett’s 17 points. Ally Hollifield of Shelby, North Carolina, posted a unique stat line of seven points, 10 rebounds, four assists, a block, and three steals. Ary Dizon of Tampa, Florida, was a defensive force with four blocks and five rebounds.

The Catamounts actually bested the Spartans in several categories, including assists (11-7), steals (11-7), blocks (6-2), and committed fewer turnovers (18-24). They also shot better from the free-throw line, making 22 of 26 attempts. However, their inability to score from the field—managing only nine made baskets all night—and South Carolina Upstate’s dominance on the offensive glass proved insurmountable. The Spartans scored 20 points off Western Carolina’s turnovers and outscored them 12-10 in the paint.

The game was played at a deliberate pace, with both teams registering 74 possessions. South Carolina Upstate’s offensive rating of 74.8, while low, far surpassed Western Carolina’s rating of 59.2 for the game. The attendance was 1,891.

The victory provides a positive start to December for the Spartans, who had lost four of their last five entering the afternoon, including a 55-41 defeat at Kennesaw State last Friday. Western Carolina, now 2-8, has not won since November 9. The result was an upset according to Interstat’s ELO system, which had projected the Catamounts with a 73.1 percent probability to win.

South Carolina Upstate returns home to host UNC Greensboro on Saturday. Western Carolina will look to snap its losing streak when it hosts Queens University of Charlotte on Sunday.