SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Facing a back-and-forth affair featuring 17 lead changes and six ties, USC Upstate men's basketball's game versus Western Carolina came down to the final possessions as an Upstate comeback attempt fell just short, 78-73, Saturday night at the G.B. Hodge Center.
 
Leading in scoring, a trio of Spartans poured in 15 points apiece as freshmen guards Jalen Breazeale and Jordan Gainey, and senior forward Bryson Mozone led a quartet of double-figure scorers for Upstate. Joining the trio of 15-point scorers, junior guard Mysta Goodloe secured his third career double-digit scoring game with 10 points against the Catamounts.
 
Keeping the game within striking distance for much of the evening, the Spartans hit 10 three-pointers—the most in a game for the program since hitting 12 versus Hampton on January 14, 2021—with their trio of 15-point scorers draining three apiece from distance.
 
Game Information
Score: Western Carolina 78; USC Upstate 73
Records: USC Upstate (2-6; 0-0 Big South); Western Carolina (5-4; 0-0 SoCon)
Location: G.B. Hodge Center | Spartanburg, S.C.
 
How It Happened
First Half

• Controlling the opening tip, Upstate opened the game with layups on its first three possessions as the Spartans opened up an early 6-2 advantage.
• Forcing the first lead change of the evening, Western Carolina's Cameron Bacote trimmed the lead to one with a layup before a steal and ensuing fastbreak layup gave the Catamounts their first lead of the game 9-8.
• With the lead seesawing over the next few minutes, Western Carolina fashioned a 16-3 run that started just ahead of the under-8 media timeout and lasted nearly four minutes to open up the largest advantage of the game at nine points.
• Answering the lopsided run from the Catamounts, Upstate embarked on one of the longest scoring runs of the game, scoring nine straight points to tie the game at 36 with a fastbreak dunk from Jordan Gainey punctuating the scoring streak.
• Wrapping the half on a 6-0 run, Western Carolina took a four-point lead into the half.

Second Half

• Leading to its largest lead of the second half, Western Carolina opened the half on a 10-6 run ahead of the under-16 media timeout to lead 53-45.
• Out of the media timeout, Upstate used a 7-0 run to pull within one at 53-52, forcing a Catamount timeout and another media timeout. Finishing the second 9-0 Spartan run, Cartier Jernigan's pull-up jumper at 13:27 regained the lead for the Spartans.
• Putting together another long scoring run, the Spartans fabricated a 7-0 run to take a 64-60 lead with 8:58 remaining, claiming the team's largest second-half lead.
• Behind its largest second-half scoring run, Western Carolina's 8-0 run beginning while trailing 71-68 with three-and-a-half minutes remaining gave the Catamounts a five-point lead into the game's final minute.

 
Notable

• With three Spartans, Jalen Breazeale, Jordan Gainey, and Bryson Mozone, scoring 15 points apiece, Saturday's game marked the first since January 15, 2021, vs. Hampton with three or more 15-point scorers.
• Saturday's game also marked the first game with 10 or more three-point field goals made for Upstate since making 12 versus Hampton on January 14, 2021.
• The trio of Breazeale, Gainey, and Mozone each drained three triples for the Spartans against Western Carolina, tying for the team lead for three-pointers made.
• Controlling the opening tip Saturday night, Upstate snapped a streak of nine games without winning the opening tip, dating back to February 18, 2021.

 
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