Box Score (.pdf)

Spartanburg, S.C. – Tre Tipton scored a team-high 16 points as the Bob Jones Bruins defeated the USC Upstate men's basketball team 83-79 Saturday afternoon in non-conference action from the Hodge Center.

Upstate falls to 0-4 on the season while Bob Jones improves to 6-0.

Marvin Smith recorded his first career double-double as a Spartan after tying for a game-high 18 points and leading all players with 13 rebounds. Deion Holmes tied his career-high of 18 points while Mike Cunningham added 10 off the bench. Playing in his first collegiate game at Upstate, Philip Whittington contributed 15 points and nine rebounds. Jure Span dished out five assists.

Tipton led four Bruins in double-figures with 16 points, and Justin Matthews added eight rebounds and a game-high eight assists.

Bob Jones opened the game on a 5-1 run and led by four one minute into the contest on a three by Marshall Riddle. The Spartans answered with a 14-4 run over the next 4:18 to go ahead 15-9 on a three-pointer from Holmes. After a layup by Kirtis Yurchak trimmed the Spartan lead to seven less than a minute later, Upstate went in front by double-digits, 23-13, after a three by Cunningham at the 12:45 mark.

The Spartans led by at least 10 over a stretch of 4:27 and took their largest lead at 29-13 with 10:59 left on a jumper by Whittington. The Bruins managed to trim their deficit to 34-31 with 6:04 remaining as Upstate was held scoreless for almost four minutes. Riddle made it a three-point contest following his three.

The Spartans finished the first half on a 14-6 run over the final 3:57 to head into halftime leading 48-37. Whittington scored six of his 15 points during that stretch.

Upstate pushed its lead back to 15 to start the second half when a layup by Holmes made the score 55-40. Bob Jones came back with an 8-2 run to get to within five, 59-54, at the 13:18 mark. A free throw by Whittington just under a minute later put the Spartans back ahead 62-54. The Bruins recorded 11 of the next 15 points to cut the Upstate lead down to 66-65 with 6:13 left after a made free throw by Dustin Killough.

Cunningham responded with the next five points as his jumper and three-pointer put Upstate back ahead by six, 71-65, at the 5:17 mark.

Bob Jones outscored the Spartans 18-8 over the final 4:41 to earn the 83-79 victory. Upstate got as close as one at 78-77 on a basket by Cunningham, but the Bruins went back ahead 82-77 after field goals by Tipton and Kyle Turner.

The Spartans finished the game shooting 41.3% (31-of-75) overall while Bob Jones posted a 47.2% (34-of-72) shooting percentage. Upstate held the advantage in points in the paint (40-38), second chance points (22-16) and bench points (31-25).

The Spartans continue their six-game homestand Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. against Winthrop.

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