Box Score (.pdf)

Spartanburg, S.C. – Michael Buchanan became the 21^st player in program history to score 1,000 career points, and Ramel Thompkins posted his second double-double of the season, as the USC Upstate men's basketball team defeated the Allen Yellow Jackets 93-67 Friday afternoon inside the G.B. Hodge Center.

Upstate improves to 9-7 on the season while Allen falls to 5-9 overall.

Thompkins and Josh Cuthbertson both led the Spartans offensively with 22 points while Thompkins tied his career-high in points scored. Thompkins had a game-high 11 rebounds while Buchanan contributed 21 points. Cuthbertson and Buchanan both grabbed nine rebounds for Upstate.

Demetrius Richardson was one of three Yellow Jackets to finish in double-figures with a team-high 16 points, and was joined by Brandon Moore (14) and Ivory Drummer (13). D.J. Marshall and Loce Hill both had nine rebounds.

• Thompkins connected on back-to-back 3-pointers within the game's first two minutes and gave the Spartans a 6-0 lead. Upstate scored its first 12 points from 3-point range and led Allen 12-5 with 17:16 remaining on a triple from Tim Hart.
• A layup by Jure Span would give the Spartans a 23-11 advantage at the 11:57 mark.
• The Yellow Jackets answered with an 8-0 run over the next 2:03 and cut Upstate's lead down to 23-19 with 9:41 left following a layup from Moore. Richardson kept Allen within four its following possession with a layup.
• The Spartans outscored the Yellow Jackets 31-10 over the final 8:02 of the first half and held their largest lead of the period at 56-31 heading into halftime.
• Thompkins put Upstate in front by 20 points, 51-31, after making three free-throws with 1:33 to go. Deion Holmes sent the Spartans to the break leading by 25 on his layup with 16 seconds remaining.
• Upstate was held scoreless over the first 4:47 of the second half as Allen went on a 12-0 run to cut the Spartans lead down to 56-43 with 17:27 remaining. Cuthbertson and Thompkins responded for Upstate with four straight points to go back ahead 60-43 at the 14:48 mark.
• The Yellow Jackets followed with 10 of the next 12 points and made it a 62-53 game with 12:20 left. Allen would get as close as eight points, 66-58, with 8:06 to go on a free-throw by Emaray Johnson.
• The Spartans broke the game open courtesy of a 23-4 run over a span of 6:21 and led 89-62 following a pair of free-throws from Hart with one minute remaining. Buchanan scored 14 of his 21 points during the run.
• Buchanan recorded his 1,000^th career point at the 5:23 mark with a layup to give Upstate a 77-62 lead, and followed with a free-throw to complete the 3-point play.
• Blake Edwards gave the Spartans their largest lead of the game at 93-65 on his 3-pointer with 15 seconds left.

• Buchanan is the first Upstate men's basketball player since Ty Greene (2011-15) to join the 1,000-point club. Following the game, the senior has compiled 1,009 points and 638 rebounds for his career. He is the 13^th player in school history to record 1,000 points and 500 rebounds.
• The trio of Thompkins, Cuthbertson and Buchanan combined to shoot 24-of-42 from the field, 10-of-23 behind the 3-point line and 7-for-9 at the charity stripe.
• Cuthbertson tied his career-high of nine rebounds while Thompkins dished out five assists to equal his career-best.
• The Spartans combined for seven blocks in the contest which is tied for second-most this season after also recording seven on Nov. 19 at Charleston Southern.
• Hill led all players with nine assists for the Yellow Jackets.
• Upstate finished the game shooting 40.0 percent (32-of-80) from the field and held a 56-42 advantage in rebounds.
• The Spartans also led 26-10 in points in the paint, 26-10 in second chance points, 9-6 in fast break points and 21-17 in points from the bench.

• Upstate closes out its non-conference schedule on the road Monday, Jan. 2 at 7:35 p.m. EST against UMKC.