Box Score Box Score (.pdf)
Nashville, Tenn. – Garrison Mathews scored 22 points to lead the Lipscomb Bisons to a second-half rally and an 84-77 victory over the USC Upstate men's basketball team Wednesday evening in ASUN action from Allen Arena.
Upstate falls to 14-9 on the season and 4-2 in conference play, while Lipscomb improves to 12-11 overall and 4-2 in the league.
Malik Moore had a team-high 22 points to lead the Spartans and was one of four players to score in double-figures, along with Philip Whittington (13), Michael Buchanan (12) and Mike Cunningham (11). Whittington collected the fourth double-double of his career after pulling down 12 rebounds.
Matthews was joined in double-digits by Rob Marberry with 16 points, Josh Williams with 13 and Nathan Moran with 10. Eli Pepper led all players with a game-high 13 rebounds.
GAME BREAKDOWN
- The teams exchanged the first 10 points before a pair of free throws by Deion Holmes gave Upstate a 7-5 lead less than three minutes into the game.
- After a layup by Marberry, the Spartans used an 11-2 run to take an 18-9 lead at the 14:23 mark.
- The Bisons trimmed the lead down to five points before layups by Whittington and Moore, and a 3-pointer from Ramel Thompkins, put Upstate in front 25-13 with 10:15 remaining.
- Upstate led by at least 15 points the remainder of the half and held its largest lead of the game with 5:01 left when a layup from Buchanan extended its advantage to 39-18.
- Lipscomb scored the final five points of the first half as the Spartans held a 49-34 lead at halftime after a tip-in by Mathews with three seconds remaining.
- Upstate quickly jumped out to a 19-point lead over the Bisons to begin the second half after a dunk by Moore extended its cushion to 56-37 at the 17:55 mark.
- The Spartans maintained their double-digit advantage for the next eight minutes and went ahead 66-50 with 11:12 left on a jumper from Cunningham.
- Lipscomb got to within nine points, 66-57, with 9:06 left as Mathews connected on a 3-pointer. Mathews later cut Upstate's lead down to five with 5:58 remaining when his 3-point play made the score 71-66.
- Moore responded with a 3-point play of his own the following possession and put the Spartans back in front 74-66.
- The Bisons would tie the game at 74-74 with 2:09 left following an 8-0 run, and took a 2-point lead just over 30 seconds later on two free throws by Mathews.
- Lipscomb outscored Upstate 8-3 over the final 1:15 to earn the 84-77 victory.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Moore finished the game shooting 9-of-12 from the field, and added four rebounds and three assists. Whittington was 6-for-12 shooting and tallied eight of his 12 rebounds on the defensive glass.
- Buchanan went 5-for-5 shooting and made both of his free throw attempts, while grabbing four rebounds.
- Thompkins came off the bench and scored eight points and eight rebounds.
- Marberry and Mathews both went 7-of-14 from the field, and combined to go 14-of-17 at the charity stripe. Mathews was 7-for-8 and Williams 7-for-9.
- Moran dished out a game-high five assists.
- The Spartans held a 39-27 advantage in rebounds and their bench outscored the Bisons 31-13.
- Upstate concluded the game shooting 50.8 percent (30-of-59), marking the sixth time this season it has had a team field goal percentage of 50 percent or better
- The score was tied three times while the lead changed hands twice.
UP NEXT
- The Spartans return to the G.B. Hodge Center on Saturday, January 28 when they host Kennesaw State at 2 p.m.
