Box Score (.pdf)

Kansas City, Mo. – The USC Upstate men's basketball team finished the second half shooting 64.5 percent as the Spartans rallied from 12 points down to defeat the UMKC Kangaroos 84-75 Monday evening inside Municipal Auditorium behind a career-high 24 points from Mike Cunningham.

Upstate improves to 10-7 overall with the victory while UMKC falls to 7-9 on the season.

Cunningham was one of four Spartans to score in double-figures along with Malik Moore (15), Michael Buchanan (12) and Philip Whittington (10). Buchanan recorded his eighth double-double of the season after pulling down a game-high 12 rebounds. LaVell Boyd scored a team-high 16 points for the Kangaroos.

GAME BREAKDOWN

• UMKC led by as many as four points three times during the game's opening seven minutes before two free-throws from Ramel Thompkins cut Upstate's deficit to 11-10 with 13:16 left.
• The Kangaroos answered with three 3-pointers as part of an 11-2 run over the next three minutes and went ahead 22-12 on a Broderick Robinson layup with 10:08 remaining.
• The Spartans managed to cut their deficit down to four, 23-19, at the 6:25 mark following a 3-point play by Moore.
• UMKC took its largest lead of the first half with 1:49 to go when Robinson made the score 37-23 following his 3-pointer.
• A last-second 3-pointer from Xavier Bishop gave the Kangaroos a 40-27 lead at halftime.
• Cunningham scored 23 of his 24 points in the second half beginning with Upstate's first two baskets to put it down 40-32 less than two minutes into the half.
• Kyle Steward would put UMKC back ahead by double-digits with 15:51 remaining when his jumper increased its lead to 46-34.
• The Spartans began their comeback with 13:23 to go as Buchanan's layup trimmed their deficit to 48-40. The field goal sparked a 15-6 run for Upstate over the next 4:07 and would trail by one, 54-53, at the 9:16 mark on a tip-in basket from Buchanan.
• Cunningham gave the Spartans their first lead of the game the following possession when his jumper put them ahead by one at 55-54.
• The lead changed hands six times over the next 1:41 until Buchanan gave Upstate a 62-60 advantage with 6:14 left after his 3-point play.
• The Spartans then used a 14-6 run to break the game open as Cunningham scored eight of the points and led 76-66 with 2:12 to go off his second 3-pointer in less than a minute.
• The Kangaroos attempted a late rally and trailed by just five, 80-75, with 52 seconds remaining on a 3-point play from Boyd.
• Cunningham sealed Upstate's victory at the free-throw line by connecting on three over the last 34 seconds to give the Spartans the nine-point victory.

• For the second time in his career, Cunningham scored at least 18 points against UMKC with his game-high 24 after tying his career-best of eight made field goals. The sophomore's previous career-high point total was 23 set last season at Lipscomb.
• Buchanan compiled the 17^th double-double of his career with 12 points and 12 rebounds, and also dished out a game-high four assists.
• Moore finished just one rebound shy of his first career double-double on 15 points and nine rebounds, while contributing three assists.
• Boyd was one of three UMKC players to score at least 10 points in the contest, and was joined by Isaiah Ross (12) and Dashawn King (10).
• Darnell Tillman had a team-leading six rebounds for the Kangaroos and Boyd added three assists.
• The Spartans concluded the game shooting 46.8 percent (29-of-62) as a team highlighted by a 20-for-31 (64.5 percent) mark in the second half. Upstate also held a 41-30 advantage in rebounds.
• The Spartans led 36-30 in points in the paint, 19-6 in points off turnovers and 10-5 in fast break points. Both teams saw their bench players score 33 points each.
• The lead changed seven times throughout the game and the score was tied four times.

• Upstate opens ASUN play on Saturday, Jan. 7 at home against NJIT with tipoff scheduled for 2 p.m.

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