Moore Scores Career-High, Upstate Falls 97-92 at The Citadel
12/3/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Charleston, S.C. – Malik Moore recorded a career-high 19 points on Saturday afternoon but the USC Upstate men's basketball team dropped a 97-92 decision to The Citadel Bulldogs inside McAlister Field House on day two of the Holy City Hoops Classic.
Upstate falls to 4-5 on the season while The Citadel improves to 6-3 overall.
Moore was one of three Spartans to finish in double-figures as Deion Holmes scored a team-high 24 points and Josh Cuthbertson added 14. Preston Parks led all players with a game-high 25 points for the Bulldogs.
GAME BREAKDOWN
- The Citadel opened the game on an 8-2 run and led Upstate by six with 15:50 to go on a layup by Kaelon Harris. The Bulldogs increased their lead to nine points three times over the next seven minutes capped at the 9:43 mark when Leandro Allende made the score 26-17 with his 3-pointer.
- The Spartans answered with six consecutive points from Cuthbertson and Holmes to trim their deficit down to 26-23 just over a minute later.
- The Citadel led by as many as 14 points in the first half with 3:16 remaining when a jumper by Zane Najdawi gave the Bulldogs a 42-28 lead.
- Upstate got to within six with 22 seconds left courtesy of Moore's layup before two free-throws by Frankie Johnson with one second remaining gave The Citadel a 50-42 lead at halftime.
- The Spartans began the second half with an 8-2 run of their own and cut the Bulldogs lead to two, 52-50, following another layup from Moore.
- The Citadel managed to stretch its lead out to 11 points three times after that until Upstate made it a one-point game, 75-74, at the 9:20 mark after back-to-back three's from Holmes and Mike Cunningham.
- Philip Whittington gave the Spartans their first lead of the game, 76-75, the following possession with his dunk. Ramel Thompkins would give Upstate its largest lead at 84-80 following his layup with 5:12 left.
- The Bulldogs took the lead back two possessions later, but Holmes put the Spartans in front 86-85 with 3:22 remaining on his jumper.
- After Parks made it a 91-86 contest in favor of The Citadel, Holmes and Michael Buchanan combined for the next four points as Upstate trailed 91-90 with just over one minute left in the game.
- The Bulldogs outscored the Spartans 6-2 the rest of the way en route to the 97-92 victory.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Moore turned in the best shooting performance of his career by going 8-of-10 from the field for his 19 points, and added nine rebounds and three assists to his effort.
- Holmes finished two points shy of tying his career-high of 26 points, turned in last season against The Citadel, and connected on a career-best nine field goals while dishing out four assists. The 24 points is a season-high for the sophomore.
- Cuthbertson also scored a season-high with his 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting.
- Parks was one of four players for The Citadel to finish in double-digits along with Najdawi (16), Johnson (11) and Quayson Williams (11).
- Johnson had a team-high eight rebounds and eight assists for the Bulldogs.
- Upstate finished the game shooting 51.5 percent (34-of-66), and held a 48-38 advantage over The Citadel in points in the paint, 12-11 in points off turnovers and 12-4 in fast break points.
UP NEXT
- The Spartans conclude play at the Holy City Hoops Classic on Sunday, Dec. 4 when they face Colgate at 1 p.m.
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