Box Score (.pdf)

Spartanburg, S.C. – Deion Holmes scored a game-high 22 points to lead the USC Upstate men's basketball team, but it was not enough as the Spartans dropped a 73-57 decision to the UNC Asheville Bulldogs Thursday evening inside the Hodge Center.

Upstate falls to 1-2 on the season while UNC Asheville improved to 1-2 overall.

Holmes led three Spartans in double-figures, along with Michael Buchanan and Mike Cunningham, while Ahmad Thomas had a team-high 18 points for the Bulldogs.

GAME BREAKDOWN

• UNC Asheville opened the game on an 8-2 run covering the first two minutes before a layup by Josh Cuthbertson and a 3-pointer from Holmes gave Upstate a 10-9 lead. The Bulldogs cut the lead down to one, 12-11, at the 13:45 mark before the Spartans took their largest lead of the half just over two minutes later.
• Ramel Thompkins gave Upstate an 18-11 lead following his layup with 11:48 left in the opening half.
• UNC Asheville came back to tie the game with just over eight minutes remaining before halftime when two Giacomo Zilli free-throw's made the score 18-18. Cunningham followed with three free-throws to put the Spartans back ahead 21-18, but Thomas answered with a 3-pointer to even the score again at 21-21.
• Upstate led by at least five points twice after that with the last coming at the 2:41 mark when a 3-pointer from Cuthbertson extended its lead to 29-24. Cuthbertson sent the Spartans into halftime leading 30-26 after his free-throw with 51 seconds to go.
• Upstate tied its largest lead of the game at seven points twice during the opening eight minutes of the second half. Holmes was responsible for both leads capped off when his 3-pointer at the 12:45 mark gave the Spartans a 48-41 lead.
• The Bulldogs outscored Upstate 32-9 over the game's final 12:56 to record the 16-point victory. Cunningham scored the Spartans last five points to put the final score at 73-57.

• Holmes finished the game shooting 8-of-15 from the field and 5-for-10 behind the three-point line to give him back-to-back games scoring over 20 points. The 22 points are a season-high for the sophomore.
• Buchanan fell one rebound shy of a double-double after contributing 12 points and nine rebounds on 5-of-6 shooting. Cunningham also posted 11 points.
• Thomas had a team-high 18 points for UNC Asheville, and was joined in double-figures by MaCio Teague (16) and Alec Wnuk (10).
• Upstate finished the game shooting 43.8% (21-of-48) from the field and tied the Bulldogs with 31 rebounds.

• The Spartans begin a seven-game road trip on Saturday, Nov. 19 at 5:30 p.m. against Charleston Southern.