Spartans, Broncs Set for Post-Thanksgiving Battle
11/24/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Game Notes
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SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The USC Upstate men's basketball team will begin a three-game homestand Friday afternoon when it hosts Texas-Pan American at 3 p.m.
For those fans that cannot attend Friday's game, there are several ways you can follow the action from the opening tip to the final horn. Fans can follow the action by clicking the live stats and live video links above.
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Spartan Specs
• Ricardo Glenn earned UTPA Tip-Off Classic All-Tournament honors as well as A-Sun Player of the Week accolades after averaging 14.0 points and 4.0 rebounds per outing in three games in Edinburg, Texas. Glenn also sank 69.6% of his field goal attempts over the weekend.
• Ricardo Glenn set career marks in points (19) and field goals made (8) in Upstate's 82-74 win over Texas State. Against the Bobcats, Torrey Craig notched his first double-double of the season with 17 points and 11 rebounds.
• Ty Greene scored a career-best 20 points in the five-point loss to Toledo (11/19/11). Greene connected on a career-best five triples against the Rockets.
• Ricardo Glenn and Torrey Craig led the Spartans with 15 points each in the 70-66 win over UTPA (11/18/11). Jodd Maxey contributed to the effort with a career-best 13 points.
• After scoring just four points at Arkansas (11/11/11), Torrey Craig quadrupled that total with 16 points behind a 6-for-11 effort from the field against Piedmont College (11/14/11). He was also just one rebound shy of a double-double.
• Rob Elam grabbed a career-high four rebounds against Piedmont College Monday night.
• Ty Greene scored a then-career-best 13 points in Upstate's victory over Piedmont College (11/14/11). He connected on four field goal attempts and four free throw attempts.
• Against Piedmont College (11/14/11), Adrian Rodgers posted a career-best 22 points behind a 9-for-13 effort from the field. He was the first player to score 20 or more points in a game since Torrey Craig posted 20 points at Stetson (2/4/11).
• Jodd Maxey finished just two points shy of his first career double-digit scoring game with eight points vs. Piedmont College.
• Jodd Maxey made his first start in a Spartan uniform against Arkansas (11/11/11). Friday's contest marked the first time Jodd Maxey had played in a collegiate game since the 2009-10 season. He spent his freshman season at South Carolina State and sat out the 2010-11 season due to NCAA transfer rules.
• Newcomers led the way in the season-opener at Arkansas. Fred Miller tallied a team-high 10 points, with Mario Blessing tallying three assists and Ty Greene recording four steals. Jodd Maxey rejected a pair of Razorback shots.
• The Spartans return nine players from last season's squad and welcome six newcomers. Upstate welcomes four freshmen to the team [Mario Blessing, Ty Greene, Fred Miller and Adrian Rodgers] and a pair of junior college transfers [Jeremy Ford and Aru Kok].
Today's Opponent – Texas Pan American
Texas-Pan American enters Friday's tilt with a 2-4 overall record.
The Broncs defeated Texas State (79-77, 11/19/11) and Victory University (83-64, 11/22/11). Jared Maree led UTPA in scoring in both contests as he tallied 21 against the Bobcats and 14 against the Eagles.
Brandon Provost leads the team in scoring (14.8 ppg) while Maree is right behind him at 14.3 ppg. Earl Jefferson leads the team in rebounding at 5.3 rpg.
Following the battle with the Spartans, the Broncs will continue its road swing as they battle Texas-Arlington (11/28), Ohio State (12/3) and Lamar (12/5).
Last Time vs. Texas-Pan American
Upstate 70, UTPA 66 – Edinburg, Texas (UTPA Fieldhouse) – Nov. 18, 2011
EDINBURG, Texas (AP) - Ricardo Glenn and Torrey Craig scored 15 points apiece as South Carolina Upstate held off Texas-Pan American 70-66 Friday night. Jodd Maxey added 13 for the Spartans, who are 2-1 for the first time since the 2006-07 season.
Four Broncs reached double figures, led by Jared Maree's 17 points. Brandon Provost scored 13, Ruben Cabrera 11 and Nick Weiermiller 10.
The Spartans led 57-43 with 11:25 to play before suffering a drought of 5:16 that allowed the Broncs to surge ahead 61-60 with 5:13 left. Then, with the game tied at 66, Craig scored with 1:02 to play, and South Carolina Upstate led 68-66.
UTPA had three chances in the final 30 seconds but came up empty. Mario Blessing sank two free throws in the last seconds for the final margin.
The Spartans led 38-32 at intermission.
The Green Jacket
Augusta, Ga., native, Ricardo Glenn picked up a pair of honors after a strong performance in Edinburg, Texas. Glenn earned UTPA Tip-Classic All-Tournament honors and A-Sun Player of the Week accolades after averaging 14.0 points and 4.0 rebounds per contest as Upstate claimed a pair of wins (UTPA, Texas State). He also connected on 69.6% of his field goal attempts during the weekend.
Against the Broncs (11/18/11), Glenn scored 11 points in the first half, but ran into foul trouble late in the period and finished with 15 points in the contest. Against the Bobcats, the redshirt sophomore tallied career-highs in points (19) and made field goals (8) as Upstate downed Texas State, 82-74.
Texas Two-Step
With the 82-74 victory over Texas State (11/20/11), the Spartans picked up their first victory on a neutral court since the 2008-09 season (def. Southern, 72-47, 12/22/08, Las Vegas Classic). Upstate posted a 2-1 mark in Edinburg, Texas (def. UTPA, 70-66, 11/18/11; lost vs. Toledo, 75-70).
Area 51
Upstate scored 51 points in the second half in its 82-74 victory over Texas State (11/20/11). During the 2010-11 campaign, the Spartans scored less than 51 points in six different contests.
