SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Seeing the schedule turns to Big South play as the calendar begins its turn to 2023, USC Upstate men's basketball picked up a momentous victory in its conference opener by snapping an 11-game losing streak in the program's Division I era (2007-pres.) with a 70-62 win over Winthrop Thursday evening—the program's first over the Eagles in the D1 era.
 
Leading to the program's first conference-opening win since 2016-17, Upstate's bench provided the biggest spark of the night as the Spartans' second five combined for 47 points—the most bench points scored by the team this season. Redshirt junior forward Ahmir Langlais paced the group and Upstate with 15 points with freshman guard Justin Bailey and senior guard Mysta Goodloe also scoring in double-figures with 13 and 10 points, respectively.
 
The Spartans also starred on the defensive end Thursday night, holding Winthrop to 30.4 percent (17-of-56) from the field and 19.0 percent (4-of-21) from three as both totals marked the lowest shooting percentages of the season for the Eagles. Upstate tallied nine blocks in the game—the most for the team this season and since the 2015-16 season—and forced 15 turnovers while creating 10 steals defensively.
 
Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 70; Winthrop 62
Records: USC Upstate (6-6; 1-0 Big South); Winthrop (5-9; 0-1 Big South)
Location: G.B. Hodge Center | Spartanburg, S.C.
 
How It Happened
First Half

• After opening the game with a made three by both teams, Winthrop jumped out to an early lead—its only lead of the game—leading 5-2 with 18 minutes to play in the first half. Tying the game and taking the lead for good, Upstate used a 7-0 scoring run to take the game's momentum.
• Bridging an Eagle three-pointer with a 9-0 scoring stretch to follow the 7-0 run, the Spartans crafted a 16-3 scoring run to build the lead to double-digits heading into the game's under-12 media timeout. Scoring on three straight possessions, Upstate forced Winthrop to take a timeout with 12:41 to play in the half before Justin Bailey knocked down a three to cap the scoring run heading into the media.
• Clawing its way back into the game, Winthrop used a 12-3 scoring streak to pull the game within two coming out of the under-8 timeout. Upstate answered the run with back-to-back baskets from Ahmir Langlais and Mysta Goodloe to stretch the lead once more.
• Building an eight-point advantage at the break, the Spartans hit a pair of threes in the final four minutes of the half to take a lead into the locker room. Knocking down the threes were Bailey and Goodloe with Goodloe's three wrapping the half's scoring.

 
Second Half

• While Winthrop may have opened the second-half scoring with a pair of free throws, Upstate responded in a big way with the team's longest scoring run of the game with a 10-0 spurt to push the advantage back to double-digits. The run was punctuated by a pair of thunderous dunks from Khydarius Smith and Jordyn Surratt.
• Pushing the lead to its largest of the game at 17 with 13:07 to play, the Spartans built upon their 10-0 run by outscoring the Eagles 16-5 over a six-minute stretch. Leading the stretch was Langlais who contributed six of his team-high 15.
• Chipping into the Upstate lead, Winthrop crafted its longest scoring stretch of the game with a 9-0 run as part of a 12-2 scoring run that cut the Upstate advantage to single digits for the final time in the game. Breaking up the scoring streak for the Spartans was Seny N'Diaye with a putback layup.
• Over the game's final 10 minutes, the two teams were fairly even with Upstate outscoring Winthrop 18-17 over the stretch. With the Eagles cutting the lead to four with 38 seconds to play, the Spartans stepped to the line and drained four free throws in the game's final seconds to secure the eight-point victory.

 
Notable

• With its victory Thursday night, Upstate snapped an 11-game losing streak to Winthrop in the program's Division I era (2007-pres) by securing the team's first win over the Eagles. The victory also marked the first for the program in the team's conference opener since 2016-17.
• With the Spartans bench combing to score 47 points versus Winthrop, the total marked the most in a game for the Spartans this season. Three of the team's four double-figure scorers came off the bench with Ahmir Langlais (15), Justin Bailey (13), and Mysta Goodloe (10) marking the double-figure scorers off the bench.
• With nine blocks against the Eagles, Upstate notched its most single-game blocks this season and the most since posting 11 blocks against Toccoa Falls on Nov. 30, 2015. Khydarius Smith led the Spartans with a season-high-tying three blocks.

 
UP Next for the Spartans
After improving to 5-0 at home on the season with a win in its final home game of 2022, Upstate hits the road for the final time in the calendar year Saturday as Big South play continues. The Spartans head to the South Carolina Lowcountry, travelling to Charleston Southern (3 p.m. ET).
 
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