University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Saturday, February 14
Spartanburg, SC
4 PM
UNC Asheville
10-16,5-8Big South
63
at
57
USC Upstate
8-18,3-9Big South
1
2
3
4
F
UNC Asheville
6
17
26
14
63
USC Upstate
13
10
19
15
57
Bulldogs Sweep Ingles I-26 Rivalry with 63-57 Win at USC Upstate
02.14.2026 | Women's Basketball
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - UNC Asheville Women's Basketball swept the Ingles I-26 Rivalry with a 63-57 win at USC Upstate on Saturday (Feb. 14). This marks Asheville's first sweep over USC Upstate since the 2019-20 season.
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USC Upstate scored 13 points in the first quarter, holding UNC Asheville to just six points through 10 minutes. Asheville would clamp down defensively in the second quarter, holding Upstate to just 10 points while scoring 17 points to leave the teams tied 23-23 headed to the half. The Bulldogs opened the second quarter scoring the first seven points with buckets from Nia Green and Jamaria Freeman, before a triple from Aileen Marquez helped her eclipse 500 points for her college career. After trading a score each headed to the media timeout with Upstate leading 16-15, Asheville outscored Upstate 8-7 in the remainder of the frame to send the teams to the half.
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Asheville scored 26 points to Upstate's 19 in the third quarter, as the Bulldogs scored nine of the first 14 points in the frame. Asheville would push its lead in the period to as many seven, ultimately leading 49-42 headed to the fourth.
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Upstate would make things close in the fourth quarter, scoring 15 points holding Asheville to just 14. A layup from Journee McDaniel would stretch Asheville's lead to eight just past three minutes gone, before Freeman would eventually push the lead to 11 at the halfway point of the frame. After the lead stretched to as many as 12, Upstate would go on a 9-3 run that would ultimately bring the game to its final score.
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Asheville shot 41.1 percent (23-56) from the floor, just 13.3 percent (2-15) from three-point range and just 57.7 percent (15-26) from the foul line in the game. Asheville outscored Upstate 25-16 off turnovers, 36-18 in the paint, 12-11 on second chances and 14-4 on fast breaks on the game. Asheville also scored 11 points off the bench in the game. Freeman paced the Bulldogs with a career-high 21 points on a career-high 8-19 shooting, while Green also scored 16 points in the game. McDaniel added nine points, while Kristen McMillan had six points and Aileen Marquez had five. D'yanna Maxey added four points in the game, while Deborah Orianegbena had two points in the game. Asheville out-rebounded Upstate 29-26 in the game, led by seven from Freeman and six from Green. McDaniel and Orianegbena each had four, while McMillan had three and Maxey had two. Freeman dished out three assists to lead the Bulldogs, while Maxey also had two assists in the game. Freeman led the way with a career-high seven steals in the game, while Green, Maxey and Orianegbena each had one steal in the game. Green and McDaniel each had one block in the game.
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The Bulldogs are back at home on Wednesday (Feb. 18) hosting High Point in Big South Conference action for Sponsor and Donor Appreciation Night. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. from Kimmel Arena with video, live stats, radio and tickets available at www.uncabulldogs.com.
About Women's Athletics Presenting Partner First Bank
First Bank is the banking subsidiary of First Bancorp and is headquartered in Southern Pines, North Carolina, with total assets of approximately $12.1 billion. As a state-chartered community bank, First Bank operates 113 bank branches in North Carolina and South Carolina and a nationwide SBA platform. Since 1935, First Bank has taken a tailored approach to banking, combining best-in-class financial solutions, helpful local expertise, and technology to manage a home or business. First Bancorp's common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "FBNC." Visit our website at www.LocalFirstBank.com. Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender.
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USC Upstate scored 13 points in the first quarter, holding UNC Asheville to just six points through 10 minutes. Asheville would clamp down defensively in the second quarter, holding Upstate to just 10 points while scoring 17 points to leave the teams tied 23-23 headed to the half. The Bulldogs opened the second quarter scoring the first seven points with buckets from Nia Green and Jamaria Freeman, before a triple from Aileen Marquez helped her eclipse 500 points for her college career. After trading a score each headed to the media timeout with Upstate leading 16-15, Asheville outscored Upstate 8-7 in the remainder of the frame to send the teams to the half.
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Asheville scored 26 points to Upstate's 19 in the third quarter, as the Bulldogs scored nine of the first 14 points in the frame. Asheville would push its lead in the period to as many seven, ultimately leading 49-42 headed to the fourth.
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Upstate would make things close in the fourth quarter, scoring 15 points holding Asheville to just 14. A layup from Journee McDaniel would stretch Asheville's lead to eight just past three minutes gone, before Freeman would eventually push the lead to 11 at the halfway point of the frame. After the lead stretched to as many as 12, Upstate would go on a 9-3 run that would ultimately bring the game to its final score.
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Asheville shot 41.1 percent (23-56) from the floor, just 13.3 percent (2-15) from three-point range and just 57.7 percent (15-26) from the foul line in the game. Asheville outscored Upstate 25-16 off turnovers, 36-18 in the paint, 12-11 on second chances and 14-4 on fast breaks on the game. Asheville also scored 11 points off the bench in the game. Freeman paced the Bulldogs with a career-high 21 points on a career-high 8-19 shooting, while Green also scored 16 points in the game. McDaniel added nine points, while Kristen McMillan had six points and Aileen Marquez had five. D'yanna Maxey added four points in the game, while Deborah Orianegbena had two points in the game. Asheville out-rebounded Upstate 29-26 in the game, led by seven from Freeman and six from Green. McDaniel and Orianegbena each had four, while McMillan had three and Maxey had two. Freeman dished out three assists to lead the Bulldogs, while Maxey also had two assists in the game. Freeman led the way with a career-high seven steals in the game, while Green, Maxey and Orianegbena each had one steal in the game. Green and McDaniel each had one block in the game.
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The Bulldogs are back at home on Wednesday (Feb. 18) hosting High Point in Big South Conference action for Sponsor and Donor Appreciation Night. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. from Kimmel Arena with video, live stats, radio and tickets available at www.uncabulldogs.com.
About Women's Athletics Presenting Partner First Bank
First Bank is the banking subsidiary of First Bancorp and is headquartered in Southern Pines, North Carolina, with total assets of approximately $12.1 billion. As a state-chartered community bank, First Bank operates 113 bank branches in North Carolina and South Carolina and a nationwide SBA platform. Since 1935, First Bank has taken a tailored approach to banking, combining best-in-class financial solutions, helpful local expertise, and technology to manage a home or business. First Bancorp's common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "FBNC." Visit our website at www.LocalFirstBank.com. Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender.
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Team Stats
AVL
USCU
FG%
.411
.500
3FG%
.133
.583
FT%
.577
.571
RB
29
26
TO
15
22
STL
10
5
Game Leaders
Pts
21
FGM
8
3FGM
0
FTM
5
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
6
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
F
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