University of South Carolina Upstate Athletics
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Florida A&M
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Spartans Use Balanced Attack to Down Florida A&M
11/15/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Spartanburg, S.C. – Ty Greene scored 16 points to lead a trio of Spartans in double figures as the USC Upstate men's basketball team opened the season with a 78-65 victory over Florida A&M Saturday evening from the Hodge Center.
Michael Buchanan added 14 points and a team-high six rebounds, while Fred Miller finished with 13 points, four rebounds and three assists.
Jermaine Ruttley led Florida A&M with 20 points and four assists and was the only Rattler in double figures.
Upstate used seven quick points from ShunQuez Stephens to build a 15-4 lead just under six minutes into the game.
Florida A&M answered with a 23-4 run capped by a three-pointer from Jorge Rosa to open up a 27-19 lead for its largest advantage of the game. Greene responded with five straight points to pull Upstate within three points with 6:48 remaining.
After both teams traded baskets over the final five minutes of the first half, Upstate regained the lead on a tip-in from Buchanan seconds before halftime.
The Spartans used a 12-4 run over the opening five minutes of the second half to extend their lead to 50-40 following a three-pointer from Miller. A three-pointer from Craig Bowman cut the Upstate deficit to four points at the 13:20 mark, but the Spartans went on a 21-0 run thereafter to extend the lead to 71-46.
Florida A&M would get no closer than 13 points as Upstate held on for its second consecutive season opening win. The Spartans opened last season with a 64-63 victory at Virginia Tech for the program's first-ever win over a school from the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Upstate returns to action Monday at 7:30 p.m. when the Spartans travel to Greensboro, N.C., to take on North Carolina A&T.
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