Feb. 16, 2009

Box Score

Nashville, Tenn. - USC Upstate failed to score for the first five minutes of the game and by the time the Spartans cracked the scoreboard, Belmont owned a 10-point lead. The hole was too deep for Upstate to climb out of as the Spartans fell to the Bruins, 76-56, Monday night in the Curb Event Center.

Belmont finished the game with 13 three-pointers, two off its season high of 15. The three-point barrage and Upstate's inability to score consistently in the first half made the difference in the game.

Upstate fell to 7-18 overall and 6-10 in the A-Sun with the loss. The Spartans return home to the Hodge Center to take on ETSU Thursday night at 7:00. Belmont improved to 16-9 overall and 12-4 in the league.

"I thought we didn't compete at the level we needed to compete in the first half," said Upstate head coach Eddie Payne. "Then we did. We started playing. It was disappointing that we didn't show up to play (from the start). When you don't bring your energy to the table in this league, you're going to get hurt."

Belmont opened the game by scoring the first 10 points of the contest, putting the Spartans in a hole early. Upstate failed to score for over five minutes until Gabor Boros' three-pointer got the Spartans within seven, 10-3, with 14:47 to play.

Belmont used the three-point arc to its advantage in the first half. In the first meeting of the year in Spartanburg on Jan. 17, the Bruins connected on 7-of-24 for the game and squeaked out a 73-69 victory. Monday night in Nashville, Belmont made 10 treys in the first half alone. The Bruins hit seven in the first 13 minutes of play to open a 27-9 lead with 7:18 left before halftime. Alex Renfroe and Andy Wicke each had two three-pointers during the 13-minute spurt.

It wasn't until Carter Cook's offensive rebound and layup with 6:53 to play that the Spartans reached double figures. Upstate never could get things going offensively and couldn't stop the Belmont barrage as the Bruins opened a 42-19 lead at the intermission. Renfroe finished the half with 10 points, while Wicke added nine.

Belmont built the lead to 37 points, 64-27, on Renfroe's bucket with 12:06 to play in the game. Upstate, though, would not quit. The Spartans began to chip away at the lead. Belmont held a 68-35 lead with 9:18 to play. Upstate then held the Bruins scoreless for the next 6:28. The Belmont scoring drought enabled Upstate to seriously cut into the lead.

Upstate used a 19-0 run to cut the Belmont lead to 14 points, 68-54, with 3:46 to play. However, the Spartans could not get any closer the rest of the way.

"I think it's (the second half run) demonstrative of the fact if you do play hard, good things will happen," said Payne. "I told them (Upstate's players after the game) that the run doesn't mitigate the circumstances that put us in that position. We didn't come to play and that's what I talked to them about."

De'Marion Gordon, who scored Upstate's first seven points of the second half, led Upstate with 11 points and five rebounds. Cook came off the bench for 10 points and six boards. Nick Schneiders scored all nine of his points in the second half as Upstate cut the lead to 14. He also finished with nine rebounds.

Renfroe finished with a double-double, scoring 22 points and grabbing 12 rebounds to lead Belmont. Matthew Dotson added 15 points, while Shane Dansby added 13.