Box Score (.pdf)

Spartanburg, S.C. – Josh Cuthbertson, Deion Holmes and Jacob Schulte all turned in career-high scoring efforts for USC Upstate Tuesday evening, but the Winthrop Eagles held off the Spartans for a 79-78 victory in non-conference men's basketball action inside the Hodge Center.

Upstate falls to 0-5 on the season while Winthrop improves to 4-0 overall.

Cuthbertson scored 20 points after tying his career-high of seven assists for the second time this season, while shooting 7-of-10 from the field and 4-of-5 behind the three-point line. Holmes, who also posted a 20-point scoring effort, went 6-of-14 overall including a 3-of-5 mark from three and 5-of-7 at the charity stripe. Schulte contributed 13 points after shooting 5-of-9 for the evening. The trio were joined in double-digits by Marvin Smith as he added 14 points and a team-high seven rebounds for Upstate.

Keon Johnson led all players with a game-high 32 points and Jimmy Gavin added 22. Duby Okeke grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds.

Holmes provided the Spartans an early 9-5 lead just over four minutes into the contest before the Eagles scored the next four to tie the game at 9-9 on a Johnson jumper with 14:56 left. The basket by Johnson was part of an 8-0 run by Winthrop as it led 13-9. The Eagles took their largest lead of the half at the 7:14 mark as two free throws by Gavin made the score 25-18.

Upstate concluded the final 6:59 of the opening half on a 15-4 run to head into intermission leading 33-29. Mike Cunningham put the Spartans in front by six, 33-27, with 1:10 remaining after his layup. Schulte and Smith combined for 11 of the points as Smith scored seven consecutive during that stretch.

Smith continued his scoring to begin the second half after a layup and free throw pushed Upstate's lead to 36-29 at the 19:01 mark. Holmes connected on a pair of free throws with 14:20 to go and gave the Spartans their largest lead of the game at 44-35.

Winthrop answered back over the proceeding 3:15 to cut its deficit down to 51-50 courtesy of a 12-5 run. Johnson and Gavin scored all 12 points for the Eagles during their run. Five more points from Johnson put Winthrop back in front 57-51 with 9:06 left in the game. The Eagles led by at least six for the next five minutes until Upstate got to within two, 70-68, with 2:27 to go on two free throws by Cunningham and Holmes' three.

Winthrop held off the Spartan rally to go back up 75-68 at the 1:08 mark after Johnson recorded five straight points. Johnson answered a basket by Schulte with a layup to keep the Eagles in front 77-72. Smith got Upstate to within 77-75 with four seconds left on a three, but Gavin sealed the Winthrop victory with two free throws. Cuthbertson hit a last second three to put the final score at 79-78.

The Spartans finished the game shooting 40.3% (25-of-62) overall and 52.9% (9-of-17) from three-point range. The Eagles tallied a 41.4% (24-of-58) shooting percentage and 80.6% (25-of-31) clip at the free throw line.

Upstate held a 17-14 advantage in points off turnovers.

The Spartans resume play in the Palmetto State Shootout Friday evening at 5 p.m. against Georgia Southern.

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