Box Score (.pdf)

Jacksonville, Fla. – Michael Buchanan recorded the 20^th double-double of his career as the USC Upstate men's basketball team overcame a 12-point halftime deficit to defeat the Jacksonville Dolphins 70-67 Thursday evening inside Historic Swisher Gym to complete the season sweep.

Upstate improves to 16-11 on the season and 6-4 in league play, while Jacksonville falls to 15-12 overall and 3-7 in the conference.

Buchanan led all players with a game-high 23 points and pulled down 14 rebounds, and Mike Cunningham added 11 points.

Marcel White was one of four Dolphins to finish in double-figures with a team-leading 22 points, and was joined by Andris Misters (14), J.R. Holder (11) and Tanner Rubio (10).

GAME BREAKDOWN

• Neither team made a basket for the first 2:49 of the game until Josh Cuthbertson put the Spartans ahead 2-0 with his layup.
• Following a 3-point play by Buchanan that gave Upstate a 7-6 lead with 15:32 left, Jacksonville would go on a 17-8 run over the next six minutes and lead 23-15 at the 9:40 mark after Misters connected on a 3-pointer.
• The Spartans would get as close as four, 25-21, on a 3-pointer by Cunningham, but the Dolphins scored the next eight points to increase their lead to 33-21 with just under five minutes left before halftime.
• Jacksonville took its largest lead of the game with 1:11 remaining at 42-28 after a free-throw from Holder.
• A dunk by Malik Moore with 47 seconds to go sent Upstate into halftime trailing 42-30.
• The Spartans quickly cut into the Dolphins lead to begin the second half courtesy of an 11-0 run and trailed 42-41 at the 16:42 mark following a 3-pointer by Cunningham. Moore gave Upstate a 43-42 lead the following possession with his layup.
• The teams traded baskets before Jure Span evened the game at 44-44 with 13:24 left after a free-throw, which sparked another 11-0 run as the Spartans went in front 54-44 at the 9:42 mark on Buchanan's layup.
• Leading 62-53 with 6:34 remaining, Upstate saw Jacksonville come back to tie the score at 64-64 on a 3-pointer by White.
• The Spartans held the Dolphins to just three points over the game's final two minutes as four straight points from Buchanan gave them a 68-64 advantage with 1:24 left.
• Following a 3-pointer by Cody Helgeland with 22 seconds to go, making it a one-point game, Span and Moore sealed the 70-67 victory for Upstate at the charity stripe with two free-throws.

• Buchanan concluded the game shooting 10-of-11 from the floor while Cunningham was 3-for-6 behind the 3-point arc.
• Philip Whittington added five rebounds, a career-high three assists and two blocks while playing in 15 minutes off the bench. Moore contributed nine points and two steals.
• White was 8-of-15 shooting for Jacksonville and went 6-of-11 from 3-point range.
• Darien Fernandez and Tanner Rubio each dished out five assists.
• The Spartans finished the game shooting 46.4 percent (26-of-56) and held a 41-36 advantage in rebounds.
• Upstate also led 36-18 in points in the paint and outscored the Dolphins 40-25 in the second half.
• The score was tied three times while the lead changed hands eight times.

• The Spartans wrap up their three-game road trip on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 7 p.m. versus North Florida.