CLINTON, S.C. (Interstat) — Cassie Gallagher scored 25 points and South Carolina Upstate withstood a furious second-half rally to defeat Presbyterian 70-63 in a Big South Conference women’s basketball game Wednesday night at the Templeton Center.

The Spartans, who led by as many as 21 points in the first half, saw that commanding advantage nearly evaporate in the third quarter before Gallagher and a crucial late defensive stand secured the road victory.

South Carolina Upstate established control from the opening tip, racing to a 21-6 lead after the first quarter. The Spartans shot efficiently early, while the Blue Hose managed just two made field goals in the period. The lead ballooned to 42-27 by halftime, fueled by Gallagher’s 14 first-half points and a 6-for-11 team performance from three-point range.

The game’s most critical shift came after intermission. Presbyterian emerged with renewed defensive intensity, forcing a flurry of Spartan turnovers. The Blue Hose opened the third quarter on a 20-5 run, erasing the large deficit and taking a 47-45 lead on a Daniella Velez three-pointer with 2:17 remaining in the period. Presbyterian outscored Upstate 23-12 in the quarter, capitalizing on 10 Spartan turnovers to score 14 points off those miscues.

Facing a complete collapse, South Carolina Upstate steadied itself to start the fourth. Gallagher, a 5-foot-11 guard from Cookeville, Tennessee, scored on a driving layup to tie the game at 54-54 with just over seven minutes to play, halting the Blue Hose momentum. The teams traded leads until a pivotal sequence with under five minutes remaining.

With Upstate clinging to a 60-58 lead, the Spartans forced a travel by Presbyterian’s Samantha Mullock. On the ensuing possession, Gallagher hit a tough turnaround jumper in the lane to push the lead to four. After a Presbyterian miss, Gallagher scored again on a layup assisted by Gwen Jenkins to make it 64-60 with 1:42 left, a cushion the Blue Hose could not overcome.

Presbyterian had several chances to cut into the lead in the final minute but missed three consecutive three-point attempts. Gallagher sealed the game by making one of two free throws with 15 seconds left for the final margin.

Gallagher played 37 minutes, adding a block to her game-high scoring total. Aubrie Kierscht added 12 points for the Spartans, while Aijah Palmore contributed 10 points and a team-high four offensive rebounds off the bench.

Presbyterian was led by Ja’Cia Cunningham’s 22 points. Aminata Tal scored 13 and Velez finished with 11 for the Blue Hose. Presbyterian’s defense was active throughout, tallying 15 steals and forcing 26 total Spartan turnovers, which they converted into 28 points. However, the Blue Hose offense struggled with efficiency, shooting just 30.9% from the field.

South Carolina Upstate improved to 7-17 overall. Presbyterian fell to 3-20.

The game was a stark contrast to the teams’ first meeting on Jan. 14, a 58-38 Spartan win in Spartanburg. This rematch featured 13 lead changes and six ties after Presbyterian’s third-quarter surge, transforming it from a potential blowout into a tense conference battle decided in the final minutes.

South Carolina Upstate next plays at Winthrop on Feb. 11. Presbyterian travels to Charleston Southern on Feb. 7.