Box Score (.pdf)

Spartanburg, S.C. – Florida Gulf Coast used a four-minute run in the second half to overcome a six-point deficit and defeat the USC Upstate men's basketball team 71-64 Thursday evening inside the Hodge Center.

Upstate falls to 8-19 on the season and 2-8 in conference play, while Florida Gulf Coast improves to 15-11 overall and 6-4 in the A-Sun.

Malik Moore scored 13 points off the bench to lead Upstate offensively. Michael Buchanan and Josh Cuthbertson each scored 12 points, followed by Mike Cunningham with 11. Buchanan led the Spartans with nine rebounds.

Marc-Eddy Norelia led the Eagles with a game-high 22 points, and Rayjon Tucker added 15 and Demetris Morant contributed 10. Norelia tied Buchanan with a game-best nine rebounds.

Morant got the visitors on the board with a jumper at the 18:35 mark. Trailing 11-10 with 12:59 to go in the first half, Upstate went on a 7-0 run capped by a pair of Moore free throws to take a 17-11 lead with 11:27 remaining. FGCU answered with an 8-2 run to tie the game at 19-19 following a Tucker jumper with just over eight minutes to play.

After a Marvin Smith free throw tied the contest at 20-20, the Eagles took their largest lead of the first half, 31-24, thanks to a Tucker layup at the 4:20 mark. Upstate cut the deficit to one, 32-31, following a Cunningham three-pointer with 1:58 left. FGCU carried a 37-36 lead into halftime after Moore connected on a three-pointer with six seconds to go in the first half.

Cuthbertson completed the three-point play to tie the game 39-39 less than two minutes into the second half. After Julian Debose evened the score at 43-43 with a layup at the 15:48 mark, Upstate used a Buchanan field goal followed by four points from Moore to take a 49-43 lead with 14:11 to play.

Debose began a 15-0 run for FGCU that lasted just over four minutes with a jumper at the 13:52 mark. Morant put the finishing touches on the run with a dunk at the 9:37 mark to give Florida Gulf Coast a 58-49 lead. Philip Whittington hit the second of two free throws to bring Upstate to within five, 58-53, only to see the Eagles use an 8-2 run for a game-high 11-point lead, 66-55, with 4:08 to go.

Upstate cut its deficit to 68-64 following the first of two free throws by Cuthbertson with 35 seconds left. Cuthbertson would miss the second attempt as Debose pulled down the defensive rebound and the Eagles made three free throws down the stretch to seal the seven-point win.

Upstate was 22-for-65 (33.8%) from the field and 16-for-20 (80.0%) at the free throw line. FGCU finished 27-for-47 (57.4%) from the field with a 14-for-25 (56.0%) mark from the free throw line.  The Spartans held a 14-6 advantage in second chance points.

Upstate welcomes Stetson to the Hodge Center on Saturday for a 2 p.m. contest.

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