Women’s Basketball’s Winning Streak Snapped at USC Upstate

Saturday, January 20

Spartanburg, SC

4:00 PM

Radford University

8-11,4-1Big South

USC Upstate

9-9,4-1Big South

Team	1	2	3	4	F
Radford	15	11	11	23	60
USC Upstate	17	14	17	17	65

Photo by: Rob Simmons

Women’s Basketball’s Winning Streak Snapped at USC Upstate

1/20/2024 6:14:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Radford women's basketball program saw their four-game winning streak come to an end Saturday afternoon in a tough loss at USC Upstate 65-60.

The Spartans would open Saturday's contest with a quick 11-2 scoring run forcing the Highlanders to respond early. The Traylor-Walker sisters Ashlyn Traylor-Walker and Pa'Shence Traylor-Walker did just that hitting back-to-back threes to pull things back to an 11-8 deficit. Another three by Maci Rhoades would pull Radford even closer at 13-11 before Ellie Taylor tied the game at 13-all.

USC Upstate answered to retake the lead before Taniya Hanner tied the game at 15-all. Hanner stayed hot going into the second quarter scoring the next eight straight points for the Highlanders to keep the pace trailing 23-21. Totaling ten straight points, Hanner's streak was broken by Olivia Wagner who hit a three-pointer that made Radford trail just 26-29.

Despite the offense shooting quite well, the Highlanders were never able to claim a lead in the first half. A last second layup by the Spartans would give them a 31-26 lead headed into the second half as the physical battle would continue between the two defensive teams.

While Ashlyn would start the scoring with a jumper from the free throw line that made it a 31-28 game, USC Upstate followed with a 9-0 run that gave them their biggest lead so far at 40-28. Hanner would score four more points and Ashlyn would hit a three to give the offense some production but the shooting struggles in the third quarter would land Radford in a 48-37 deficit headed into quarter four.

Pa'Shence began the fourth with back-to-back threes, but USC Upstate had answers for both as the Highlanders struggled to get a stop on the defensive end. Down 59-45 with less than five minutes remaining, Radford made one last push in the closing minutes.

A pair of three-pointers by Ashlyn and a jumper by Wagner gave Radford an 8-0 run that tightened the game up at 59-53 with two minutes remaining. USC Upstate would get all its offense from the free throw line the rest of the way scoring six points from the charity stripe. Another pair of threes from Pa'Shence and Ashlyn just weren't enough as the Highlanders fell 65-60.

NOTABLES

Four different Highlanders pulled down 7+ rebounds including Ashlyn, Terissa Lavoile-Brice, Taylor and Hanner.
While Radford won the turnover battle 14-20 and points off turnovers 20-13, paint points was where USC Upstate hurt Radford the most outscoring them 34-18.
Pa'Shence 15 points is a career-high thanks to an outburst of five three-pointers. Pa'Shence is the third Highlander to hit five or more in a single game this season.

AROUND THE BIG SOUTH

High Point dominated Charleston Southern on the road 74-57 shooting a blistering 48% from three-point range led by Lauren Bevis' 16 points.
Winthrop used a big second half to come back and defeat Gardner-Webb 61-50, outscoring the Runnin' Bulldogs by 18 in the second half.
Presbyterian survived a late rally by Longwood winning 69-66 to move back to an even 3-3 in conference play.

UP NEXT
The Highlanders return home to the friendly confines of the Dedmon Center for their next two conference battles. Action kicks off Wednesday night when Radford plays host to UNC Asheville for a 7 p.m. tip on ESPN+.

Follow Women's Basketball on Social Media
For more information on the Radford women's basketball team, follow @Radford_WBB on Twitter and Instagram or Radford Women's Basketball on Facebook.