Men's Basketball Set for Home Opener
11/28/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - After playing its first six games away from Spartanburg, the Spartans host UNC Asheville in the first game inside the newly renovated Hodge Center on Monday night at 7:00 p.m.
Monday night's game against UNC Asheville is the 11th-meeting all-time between the two schools located just over an hour apart, however they have not met on the basketball court since Upstate claimed a 70-68 victory in Asheville, N.C. on Jan. 14, 1985.
Not only is the game the first between the Spartans and the Bulldogs in nearly 25 years, it is the first-time that head coach Eddie Payne has ever squared off against UNC Asheville.
Fans not in attendance can watch the action live online at ASun.TV by visiting the service's web site, www.asun.tv, and clicking on the USC Upstate tab. Fans can also receive live statistical updates by visiting the official Upstate Athletics Web site at www.upstatespartans.com.
Spartan Tip-Off…
• The Spartans are 5-6 all-time on November 29, last defeating Limestone, 85-71, in 2004.
• Babatunde Olumuyiwa set a school-record and tied an A-Sun record with nine blocked shots at South Carolina on Nov. 23.
• Chalmers Rogers and Babatude Olumuyiwa are the only Spartans to lead the team in three different statistical categories in a single-game. Rogers led the team at Michigan in points (7), rebounds (9) and steals (2), while Olumuyiwa led Upstate at South Carolina in points (11), blocks (9) and rebounds (7).
• Marquis Sloan recorded five steals at South Carolina and became the first Spartan since Jeremy Byrd had five steals against Buffalo (12/22/07 - Sun Bowl Tournament, El Paso, Texas).
• Torrey Craig earned Atlantic Sun Newcomer of the Week honors (Nov. 23) after averaging 16.3 ppg and 6.3 rpg in three games at the 2010 Charleston Classic.
• Freshmen Marquis Sloan and Chandler Hash ran the point for the majority of the game against East Carolina and the duo combined for six assists and just one turnover.
Gimme the Rock
Upstate guard Tony Dukes scored the first basket of the game for the Spartans in the first five games of 2010-11. In the first four games, Dukes hit three-pointers, but the sophomore switched it up against East Carolina as he hit a jumper from just outside the paint.
True freshman Torrey Craig had an outstanding tournament for the Spartans at the 2010 Charlestion Classic (Nov. 18-19, 21). In three outings the forward from Rock Hill, S.C., averaged 13.6 ppg and 6.3 rpg. He posted career-highs of 13 points and seven rebounds against Wofford on Thursday. Against Coastal Carolina, Craig connected on six shots (five treys) en route to 17 points against the Chanticleers. He posted career-highs of 19 points and eight rebounds against East Carolina on the final day of the Charleston Classic.
Babatunde's Block Party
Through the first six games of his collegiate career, freshman forward Babatunde Olumuyiwa has established himself as a defensive presence. Against East Carolina, Olumuyiwa rejected four Pirate shots, at the time it was a career best for the Athens, Ga., native. Just two days later Olumuyiwa more than doubled that total as he rejected a career-best nine shots (including a pair of dunk attempts) at South Carolina. On the season, Olumuyiwa has 18 blocks and is averaging 3.0 bpg, both lead the A-Sun.
One-Man Swat Team
Two days after posting career-highs of nine points, six rebounds and four blocks against East Carolina (11/21), Babatunde Olumuyiwa was at it again, setting career-bests in all three categories at South Carolina (11/23). The freshman forward nearly recorded a double-double and a triple-double wasn't out of the equation either. He finished with 11 points, nine blocks and seven rebounds.
His nine rejections cemented his name in three different record books. His nine rejections were the most ever by a Upstate basketball player, surpassing the old mark of seven, held by Nick Schneiders (vs. Florida Gulf Coast - Dec. 14, 2009). Olumuyiwa tied a single-game conference record as he joined Mercer's Calvin Henry, Lipscomb's Eddie Ard, Georgia State's Sylvestor Morgan, Jacksonville's Haminn Quaintance and Ryan Lewis as the only individuals to record nine blocks in a single-game.
He also put his name in the South Carolina men's basketball record book as his nine rejections are the third most ever against the Gamecocks. The only names ahead of Olumuyiwa's in the Gamecock record book are Derek Holcomb (Illinois) and Shaquille O'Neal (LSU). Holcomb (12/8/78) and O'Neal (2/19/92) each recorded 11 blocks against South Carolina.
