BOONE, N.C. – The USC Upstate men's basketball captured a first-round victory in The Basketball Classic on Tuesday night with an 80-74 victory at Appalachian State. The postseason triumph is the first for the program since a 2014-15 victory in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT), the predecessor of The Basketball Classic.
 
Upstate led by as many as 12 early in the second half and held off a Mountaineer rally over the final eight minutes of the game to secure the victory. The Spartans saw four players score in double figures led by a career-high from senior Josh Aldrich with 24. Jordan Gainey added 17 points and a pair of seniors, Bryson Mozone and Dalvin White added 16 and 15 points, respectively.
 
The Spartans were strong defensively forcing 16 Mountaineer turnovers and holding steady on the boards with 33 rebounds to Appalachian State's 34. Three Spartans had 6 rebounds each, including Gainey, Mozone, and Mysta Goodloe.
 
With the victory to improve to 15-16 on the season, Upstate will await its second-round opponent in The Basketball Classic. Timing of that announcement has not been set.
 
 
Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 80; Appalachian State 74
Records: USC Upstate (15-16; 10-6 Big South); Appalachian State (19-15; 12-6 Sun Belt)
Location: Holmes Convocation Center | Boone, N.C.
 
How It Happened
First Half

• The Spartans come out strong early as Josh Aldrich scores the first five points for Upstate. The teams traded buckets for several possessions before a steal and transition basket by Dalvin White gives Upstate the lead back at 14:45. The under-16 media came at the 11:31 mark after Bryson Mozone drains a jumper and one from deep and the Spartans lead, 16-13.
• Upstate's defense remains active as the Spartans forced eight App State turnovers over the first 12 minutes of the half.
• A Jordan Gainey trifecta at the 7:23 mark gave Upstate a 25-17 lead and a Bryson Mozone three at 4:51 extended the advantage to 8 at 30-22. The Mountaineers closed the gap to 30-25 with a three by Adrian Delph at 4:19, one of six threes hit off 13 attempts to this point in the game. A Mozone putback gives the Spartans their largest lead at 35-25 2:24 left in the half.
• App State cuts the lead to six with a dunk and a Spartan turnover at 1:15 (35-29). A Dalvin White steal and he takes it to the basket contested and as the ball rims off, Mozone immediately follows to make it 39-29. 
• App State free throws close the half with Upstate going to the locker room up 39-30.

 
Second Half

• Jordan Gainey answers a second-half opening dunk with a teardrop shot and Josh Aldrich keeps the advantage to 45-37 at the 17:33 mark. The Mountaineers drain a three and Aldrich makes a strong look to keep the advantage at 47-39 with 16:24 remaining. Mysta Goodloe cuts to the basket and the lead extends back to 10 with 15:40 left.
• The Mountaineers start chipping away at the lead with a transition bucket and another turnover cashed in by App State who cuts the lead to seven with 12:14 remaining.
• At the 11:47 mark ASU's Adrian Delph hits a trifecta to trim the lead to five and that is answered on the next possession by Jordan Gainey who drains a three of his own (10:55).
• The Spartans would run into foul trouble and see the lead evaporate at the 9:04 mark on a series of layups and free throws by App State. Dalvin White would put the Spartans back in front 59-57 with 8:41.
• The teams would trade punches over the next six minutes and Josh Aldrich hit a huge trifecta with 2:40 remaining. The Mountaineers would retake the lead, 73-72 on the next possession with a three from C. J. Huntley.
• With 1:41 remaining, Bryson Mozone would cash in a pair of free throws to erase what would be App State's final lead. Jordan Gainey was fouled with 1:07 remaining and he calmly drained all three free throws to put the Spartans up for good. Dalvin White would ice the game with a three-pointer with 17 seconds remaining. The Spartans held App State scoreless over the final 1:51 of the game.

 
Notable

• The Spartans may have won the game at the charity stripe, converting 10 of 11 chances (91%) while App was 11-28 from the line (65%).
• Upstate controlled the game from the opening tip and led the contest for 28:24 with the game remaining tied for another 7 minutes and 11 seconds.

 
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