SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Returning to the G.B. Hodge Center for the first time since February, USC Upstate men's basketball entertained its home crowd in the team's home opener as the Spartans picked up their first victory of the season against St. Andrews (N.C.) Monday night 96-43.
 
Monday's win featured the largest scoring margin (+53) for the Spartan program since a 105-43 win over Barber Scotia College (N.C.) on December 1, 2014, as Upstate's victory over St. Andrews also included the highest-scoring first half since dropping 59 points in the first half against Barber Scotia College.
 
Despite seeing the team's streak of games with three-plus double-figure scorers come to an end, the Spartans had two with 10-plus points Monday evening as seniors Bryson Mozone and Dalvin White scored 18 and 12 points, respectively. For Mozone, it marks his third double-digit scoring effort of the season, leading the team in all three games this year while White totaled his first double-figure scoring game of the season.
 
In total, all 14 available Spartans saw the floor Monday night as all 13 who attempted a shot scored with 10 Spartans scoring five or more points against the Knights.
 
Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 96, St. Andrews 43
Records: USC Upstate (1-2; 0-0 Big South); St. Andrews (1-4; 1-3 AAC)
Location: G.B. Hodge Center | Spartanburg, S.C.
 
How It Happened
First Half

• Making his first start of the season, Josh Aldrich got the scoring started for the Spartans as he tapped home a putback layup. Following the layup, both teams traded jumpers with Upstate's three-pointers from Dalvin White and Jordan Gainey gave Upstate a slim one-point advantage.
• Seeing the game tied at nine just ahead of the under-16 timeout, Upstate used an 11-4 run that lasted until the under-12 timeout with Bryson Mozone prompted the run, scoring seven points, including bookending the run with a layup to start it and a jumper to end it.
• Coming out of the under-12 timeout, the Spartans fashioned an 18-5 run that extended until just ahead of the eight-minute mark as six players scored in the stretch, combining to go 6-of-6 from the floor in the run, including 2-of-2 from beyond the arc and 4-of-4 from the charity stripe.
• Over the final six-and-a-half minutes of the opening half, Upstate wrapped the half on a 19-3 run, holding the Knights to 0-of-5 from the field in the stretch with all three St. Andrews' points coming from the free throw line.
• After seeing the game tied a 9-9 in the first half, Upstate closed the half on a 49-12 run to take a lead the team would not relinquish, taking a 37-point advantage into the locker room.

Second Half

• With Nick Alves getting his hand in the passing lane and forcing a turnover, leading to a possession ending in a Gainey jumper, the Spartans kicked off a 15-2 run over the first six minutes of the first of the half. Gainey led a group of six scorers in the run, putting forth five of the 15 points.
• Out of the under-12 timeout, Khydarius Smith made back-to-back hook shots to start an 8-2 run that grew the Spartan lead to a game-high 55 points. Jatayveous Watson punctuated the run as he threw down the second of Upstate's two dunks Monday.
• Over the final eight minutes of the game, Upstate outscored St. Andrews 11-9 as the Spartans finished the game shooting 8-of-12 from the free throw line while adding a three-pointer from Cartier Jernigan.

 
Notable

• Upstate's margin of victory (+53) Monday against St. Andrews marked the team's largest margin of victory since defeating Barber Scotia College by 62 on December 1, 2014.
• The Spartans' 57 first-half points against St. Andrews were the most for the program since posting 59 first-half points against Barber Scotia in 2014.
• Leading Upstate with 18 points against St. Andrews in 18 minutes of action, Bryson Mozone finished as the Spartan's leading scorer for the third straight game, extending his career-long streak as Upstate's leading scorer.
• Seeing all 14 available Spartans hit the floor, all 13 players who attempted a shot attempt Monday scored as 10 Spartans posted five or more points against St. Andrews.

 
UP Next for the Spartans
After earning the team's first victory of the season in its home opener, Upstate returns to the road later this week with a Thursday meeting with East Tennessee State. The Spartans travel to Johnson City, Tenn. for a 7 p.m. ET tip-off.
 
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