by Spartanburg, S.C. – Malik Moore scored a career-high 28 points to lead four Spartans in double-figures as the USC Upstate men’s basketball team soared past the UVa.-Wise Cavaliers for a 99-67 victory Saturday afternoon inside the G.B. Hodge Center.
Upstate improves to 6-5 overall with the victory.
The 28 points scored by Moore is the most this season by a Spartan, and was joined in double-digits by Michael Buchanan (17), Mike Cunningham (15) and Josh Cuthbertson (14). Buchanan compiled his fifth double-double of the season with a game-high 13 rebounds. Taiwo Badmus led UVa.-Wise with 17 points.
GAME BREAKDOWN
- Upstate opened the game on an 11-4 run and led by seven points just over four minutes in on a 3-pointer from Ramel Thompkins.
- The Spartans led by as many as eight points three times in the first half beginning at the 12:34 mark when a layup by Jure Spanextended their lead to 16-8.
- The Cavaliers cut Upstate’s lead down to one point twice over a stretch of one minute midway capped after a DeMarcus Edwards 3-pointer made the score 22-21 with 8:47 left.
- The Spartans would go back up by eight with 2:10 left in the first half after Moore extended the lead to 42-34 with his layup. His two free-throws with just over a minute to go gave Upstate a 44-36 lead at halftime.
- The Spartans started the second half on a 10-2 run, covering less than four minutes, to push their lead out to 54-38. Buchanan scored the first five points for Upstate.
- Cuthbertson gave the Spartans a 71-51 lead at the 11:12 mark following his 3-pointer.
- Upstate led by at least 20 points over the final 5:46 beginning on Span’s dunk as it held an 82-62 advantage.
- The Spartans outscored UVa.-Wise 13-1 over the final 3:05 with the last 12 points coming from beyond the 3-point arc. Blake Edwards connected on a pair of 3-pointers to give Upstate the 99-67 victory.
BY THE NUMBERS
- For the second time this season, Moore set a new career-high in both scoring and shooting. The sophomore scored 28 points after going 10-of-14 from the field. He also contributed four rebounds, two assists and two steals.
- Buchanan recorded the 14th double-double of his career and fifth in the last seven games.
- Span dished out a game-high six assists for the Spartans, while Cuthbertson and Cunningham each had five.
- Along with the 17 points from Badmus, Chance Sheffey added 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting for the Cavaliers.
- Upstate finished the game shooting a season-best 54.8 percent (34-of-62) from the field and is the second time this season that the Spartans have posted a shooting percentage of 50.0 percent or better.
- Upstate also held a 38-28 advantage over UVa.-Wise in points in the paint, 17-8 in points off turnovers, 10-6 in second chance points and 6-2 in fast break points.
UP NEXT
- The Spartans remain at home on Tuesday, Dec. 13 when they host Presbyterian College at 7 p.m.
