SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The USC Upstate men's basketball team improved to 3-1 in the month of December with a 92-74 thrashing of Bob Jones on Saturday afternoon at the Eddie and Ann Payne Arena located inside the G.B. Hodge Center.
 
USC Upstate (4-8) got off to a slow start to begin the contest. Bob Jones (6-7, 1-0 NCCAA) won the opening tip-off and despite turning the ball over on their opening position, Nate Ellenwood knocked down a three-pointer to give the Bruins the early lead. Going into the media timeout the Spartans trailed 8-4. The Spartans fought back over the next four minutes and held a 14-13 lead going into the under 12 media timeout.
 
Leading 18-16 with 10:17 to play in the half, USC Upstate center Nevin Zink (Newtown, Conn.) converted on his second free throw attempted and jump started the Spartans offense. Over the next two minutes of game time the Spartans went on a 13-0 run and raced ahead to a 31-16 advantage. USC Upstate continued to put pressure on Bob Jones and at the 4:33 mark of the first half Tommy Bruner (Columbia, S.C.) knockdown a transition three-pointer to give the Spartans a 41-21 advantage. USC Upstate went into the halftime break up 48-31.
 
Bruner led all scorers at the half with 8 points followed by Hammond with 7 points. Ellenwood and Kendall Norrington tied for the Bob Jones team lead with 7 points each. In the opening half of play the Spartans outscored the Bruins 18-3 on fast breaks and 24-10 in the paint.
 
In the second half the two teams went back-and-forth matching each other shot for shot. A Brandon Martin (Miami, Fla.) layup with 12:16 remaining in the game had the Spartans ahead 67-49. For the remainder of the half Bob Jones never got within 13 points of USC Upstate.

Notes
Upstate- Tommy Bruner had a career day for the Spartans resetting his career highs in points (23), field goals made (9), field goals attempted (16), three-point field goals made (4) and three-point field goals attempted (8). For the week Bruner is averaging 21 points and is shooting 48 percent from the field and 46 percent from three-point range.
 
Everette Hammond finished second on the team in points (11) but had a career high 7 assists in the victory over Bob Jones. Nevin Zink added 10 points and Josh Aldrich (Wilmington, N.C.) contributed 9 points. Jatayveous Watson (Newnan, Ga.) finished the game a perfect 3-3 from the field and recorded a career high 8 points in the win. Andrew Tate (Spartanburg, S.C.) scored his first points of the season with 46 seconds to go in the game.
 
S.C. State – Nate Ellenwood and Kendall Norrington both finished with15 points for the Bruins. Daniel Fuller added 11 points and Jayson Barnhart contributed 10 points in the loss. Barnhart also led the team with 8 rebounds.
 
UP next for the Spartans
USC Upstate will be back in action at home next Sunday, December 29 against VMI at 2:00 p.m.

Keep UP with the Spartans
Facebook (UpstateAthletics)
Twitter (@UpstateMB)
Instagram (@upstatespartans)
YouTube (USCUpstateAthletics)