SPARTANBURG, S.C. (Interstat) — South Carolina Upstate edged Longwood 65-63 in a double-overtime women’s basketball game Saturday at G.B. Hodge Center. The Spartans, who led 14-12 after one quarter, survived a late Lancers rally that forced the extra periods. Longwood’s Malea Brown scored 14 points and Amor Harris added 14. For Upstate, Cassie Gallagher and Aubrie Kierscht each scored 16 points. Longwood dominated inside with 28 paint points and scored 16 off turnovers, but could not secure the road win. Otaifo Esenabhalu grabbed 18 rebounds for the Lancers. Upstate’s Aijah Palmore had 12 points, nine rebounds and four assists. The Spartans improved to 10-18. The Lancers fell to 18-9.

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (Interstat) — In a game defined by defensive tenacity and offensive struggle, the South Carolina Upstate Spartans outlasted the Longwood Lancers 65-63 in a double-overtime women’s basketball marathon on Saturday at the G.B. Hodge Center. The contest, a Big South Conference matchup witnessed by 251 fans, saw both teams grind through poor shooting and a cascade of turnovers before the Spartans secured the narrow victory in the second extra period. The win improved South Carolina Upstate to 10-18 overall, while Longwood fell to 18-9. The most critical sequence of the game unfolded in the final seconds of the second overtime. With the score tied at 63, South Carolina Upstate’s Aijah Palmore, who finished with 12 points, nine rebounds and four assists, hit a decisive jump shot with 23 seconds remaining, assisted by Aubrie Kierscht. Longwood, after using a timeout, designed a final play that resulted in Jaci Bolden’s driving layup attempt, but Palmore rose to block the shot, her fourth of the game, to preserve the lead. Longwood retained possession with 2 seconds left but could not get another shot off before the final horn. The entire game was a battle of contrasting strengths. Longwood’s defense was relentless, forcing 25 Spartan turnovers and converting them into 16 points. The Lancers also recorded 15 steals, led by a swarming perimeter effort. However, Longwood’s offense could not capitalize consistently, shooting just 28% from the field and 19% from three-point range. Their 15-of-24 performance from the free throw line also proved costly. South Carolina Upstate countered with a formidable interior defense, blocking 10 shots, led by Vera Soderblom’s three and Palmore’s four. The Spartans were more efficient from the floor, shooting 39%, and crucially hit 9 of 20 three-point attempts compared to Longwood’s 4 of 21. Despite being severely out-assisted 15-4, the Spartans made key shots when necessary. Longwood’s Otaifo Esenabhalu was a force on the glass, pulling down 18 rebounds to go with eight points. Malea Brown and Amor Harris each scored 14 points for the Lancers. For the Spartans, Cassie Gallagher played a game-high 41 minutes, scoring 16 points, while Aubrie Kierscht also added 16 points, including several critical three-pointers. Soderblom dominated the boards with 17 rebounds. Regulation ended with the score knotted at 48. Longwood had led by as many as eight points in the second quarter, but a scoring drought in the third quarter, where they managed only seven points, allowed the Spartans back into the game. The first overtime ended with the teams tied at 57, setting the stage for the final dramatic period. The victory was a significant one for South Carolina Upstate, which had lost to Longwood by 24 points just a month prior. For Longwood, the defeat marked a second consecutive close conference loss following a setback against Gardner-Webb earlier in the week. Longwood next hosts Charleston Southern on Wednesday. South Carolina Upstate returns to action the same day, hosting Gardner-Webb.

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (Interstat) — A surging Longwood women’s basketball team looks to rebound from a narrow midweek defeat when it visits the G.B. Hodge Center to face South Carolina Upstate in a Big South Conference matchup Saturday. The Lancers (18-8) enter the contest having won five of their last seven games, though they are coming off a 53-51 home loss to Gardner-Webb on Wednesday. Guard Malea Brown, a key player for Longwood, scored 15 points in that defeat. She has been a consistent force, averaging 13.1 points per game over her last seven contests. Brown tallied 9 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists in Longwood’s 74-50 victory over these same Spartans on Jan. 23. South Carolina Upstate (9-18) has shown recent signs of life, winning three of its last five games, including a 57-52 road win at Radford on Wednesday. The Spartans are led by guard Cassie Gallagher, who is averaging 16.4 points over her last five outings. She scored 10 points in the January loss at Longwood. Despite their disparate records, the Spartans have found a rhythm at home in conference play, winning three of their last four at the Hodge Center. They will need that home-court advantage to counter a Longwood squad that has proven potent on offense, scoring 75 or more points in four of its last seven games. The Lancers will aim to tighten their defense after the two-point loss to Gardner-Webb and complete a regular-season sweep of the Spartans. For Upstate, containing Brown and finding consistent scoring beyond Gallagher will be critical to pulling an upset and continuing their improved late-season form. Tipoff is set for Saturday afternoon in Spartanburg.