SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Returning home for the start of a two-game homestand against Big South rivals, USC Upstate men's basketball saw three players scoring in double-figures as the Spartans were unable to shake first-half shooting woes in an 83-56 loss against UNC Asheville.
Reaching double-figures for the fifth straight game, senior forward
Bryson Mozone paced the Spartans as he poured in 15 points, shooting 42.9 percent (6-of-14) from the floor. In addition to his 11
th double-figure scoring outing through 12 Big South contests, he also pulled in four rebounds and tallied a block.
Joining Mozone in double-figures, freshman guard
Jalen Breazeale tallied his first career double-figure scoring game in league play, scoring 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting. Junior guard
Mysta Goodloe secured his fifth double-figure game during conference play, shooting 50.0 percent from the floor while tallying 11 points.
Game Information
Score: UNC Asheville 83; USC Upstate 56
Records: USC Upstate (10-14; 7-5 Big South); UNC Asheville (14-11; 6-6 Big South)
Location: G.B. Hodge Center | Spartanburg, S.C.
How It Happened
First Half
- After seeing Upstate pull within three following a pair of free throws with 14:34 to play in the half, Asheville used the first extended scoring run to build an eight-point lead as the 8-0 run culminated in a Spartan timeout.
- Building its lead to its largest of the first half, Asheville outscored Upstate 24-9 over a 12-minute stretch of the first half.
- Over the final three minutes of the half, the Spartans began chipping away at the Bulldog lead, closing the half on an 8-2 scoring run. Jalen Breazeale led the stretch, posting five points behind a driving layup and three-pointer. During the run, Asheville was held without a field goal, seeing both of its points scored from the free throw line.
Second Half
- Opening the half doubling up Asheville, Upstate cut the lead back to single digits, outscoring the Bulldogs 6-3. A pair of layups from Mysta Goodloe led the scoring run with his second cutting the lead to nine.
- Extending their lead to 20-plus points, the Bulldogs outscored the Spartans during the middle portion of the second half.
- Closing the game, Khydarius Smith tallied six of his eight points over the final six-and-a-half minutes of the game. He threw down a pair of dunks and converted a pair of free throws after being fouled on a third dunk attempt.
Notable
- Tallying 15 points Saturday against UNC Asheville, Bryson Mozone tallied his fifth-straight double-figure scoring game and his 11th in 12 Big South games.
- Shooting 40.0 percent from the field Saturday, Upstate has shot 40 percent or greater from the field in each of the team's 12 Big South games.
- Scoring 12 points versus UNC Asheville, Jalen Breazeale totaled his first double-figure scoring game during Big South play.
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