SPARTANBURG, S.C. – With first place in the South Division on the line Wednesday night, USC Upstate men's basketball fought until the final buzzer in front of a sold-out G.B. Hodge Center before succumbing in the program's first overtime game since 2019, 95-91 against Winthrop.
 
Leading Upstate, three Spartans scored in double-figures with each posting career-high scoring totals. Pacing the Spartans, senior guard Dalvin White poured in a career-best 30 points, securing the first 30-point scoring game for a Spartan since February 1, 2021, as he shot 9-of-12 from the field and 6-of-8 from three while adding six assists, two rebounds, and a steal.
 
Joining White in double-figures were freshman guard Jordan Gainey and senior forward Josh Aldrich who added a career-high 24 and career-best 18 points, respectively. Gainey finished 7-of-11 from the field and Aldrich shot 6-for-11 from the floor with both players adding four rebounds and three assists apiece.
 
Game Information
Score: Winthrop 95; USC Upstate 91 [OT]
Records: USC Upstate (8-11; 5-2 Big South); Winthrop (13-7; 6-1 Big South)
Location: G.B. Hodge Center | Spartanburg, S.C.
 
How It Happened
First Half

• Opening the game with a turnaround jumper to begin the scoring, Josh Aldrich ignited his personal scoring streak to open the game. He scored the first nine points for the Spartans, hitting shots from the paint, beyond the arc, and the free throw line.
• Coming out of the game's first media timeout, Upstate became the first team to make consecutive field goals, using a 4-0 run to break a 17-all deadlock. Khydarius Smith and Mysta Goodloe sank the shots for the Spartans, using a hook shot and layup, respectively.
• Regaining the lead, Winthrop embarked on its longest scoring run of the evening, scoring 10 unanswered points to stake its largest lead of the game, six points, at 27-21 with 8:50 remaining in the half.
• Erasing the Eagles' largest lead of the game, Upstate answered the Winthrop scoring stretch with its longest scoring run of the game, posting a 9-0 run. Dalvin White kicked off the run with a three before Gainey ignited the run and pulled the Spartans within one with a run-out slam on the fastbreak.
• Seeing its scoring runs split by a Winthrop layup, Upstate outscored the Eagles 14-2 to flip the lead to six points in the favor of the Spartans. Adding to his dunk, Gainey added five of Upstate's nine free throws in the stretch to tally five points in the 14-2 scoring run.
• Using another long scoring run, Winthrop fabricated a 9-0 scoring run to regain the lead with four-and-a-half minutes remaining in the half. Over the final six minutes of the half, Winthrop outscored Upstate 16-6, carrying a four-point lead into the locker room.

Second Half

• Following a Winthrop layup to open the half, Upstate used an 8-0 scoring run to regain the lead for the final time in the half, carrying said lead throughout the conclusion of regulation. Bookending a White layup, Gainey and Bryson Mozone hit threes to pace the scoring stretch.
• Withstanding a pair of Winthrop baskets to tie the game at 49 and 51, respectively, Upstate outscored the Eagles 18-7 over eight minutes, running from just ahead of the under-16 and under-8 media timeouts. Closing the scoring stretch, Aldrich threw down an emphatic dunk to push the Spartan lead to 11 points, the largest lead of the game.
• Chipping away at Upstate's lead, the Eagles outscored the Spartans 12-3, trimming the lead to two with 3:48 to play in the half. Closing the scoring stretch, Winthrop posted its longest scoring run of the second half, scoring nine straight points.
• Going shot-for-shot with Winthrop down the stretch, Upstate carried a multi-possession lead into the final 30 seconds of regulation. The Eagles drained three three-pointers during the half's final 30 seconds, including a trey with three seconds remaining to tie the game and send it to overtime.

Overtime

• Continuing their battle from regulation, Winthrop took the lead and Upstate answered as the Spartans fought back to tie the game twice over the overtime periods first two-and-a-half minutes.
• Seeking to put the game away, the Eagles outscored Upstate 6-2 over the final two-and-a-half minutes of the period to pull out a four-point victory.

 
Notable

• With three Spartans scoring in double-figures Wednesday night, each of the three double-figure scorers posted career-high scoring totals. Dalvin White led the way with a career-high 30 points with Jordan Gainey posting a career-best 24 points and Josh Aldrich adding a career-high 18.
• Scoring 30 points for the Spartans, Dalvin White secured the first 30-point scoring game for Upstate since February 1, 2021, against Campbell. With Jordan Gainey adding 24 points, Wednesday's game also marked the first with multiple 20-plus point scorers since January 14, 2021, versus Hampton.
• Heading to overtime against Winthrop, Wednesday's game marked the first overtime game for the Spartans since the 2018-19 season. Upstate's last overtime game prior to Wednesday came on February 16, 2019, against Longwood.

 
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