SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Opening the team's two-game homestand to close non-conference play and the calendar year, USC Upstate men's basketball captured the game's two leading scorers—seeing both score 17 or more points—but were unable to overcome South Carolina State Wednesday evening in an 85-70 setback at the G.B. Hodge Center.
Leading all scorers to secure his eighth double-figure scoring game of the season, freshman guard
Carmelo Adkins poured in 21 points, shooting 50.0 percent (3-of-6) from the field. He did much of his damage from the free throw line as he drew 12 fouls, earning 16 free throw attempts before converting 14 times, the most single-game free throw makes by a Spartan since Bryson Mozone made 13 free throws versus South Alabama on March 21, 2022.
Posting his team-best 10
th double-figure scoring effort, freshman guard
Mister Dean followed Adkins on the box scoring, dropping 17 points as he shot 5-of-10 from the floor. He scored seven of his 17 markers from the charity stripe while adding a team-high six rebounds. Distributing the basketball, redshirt junior
Isaiah Skinner passed out a team and career-high five assists.
Game Information
Score: South Carolina State 85; USC Upstate 70
Records: USC Upstate (4-10; 0-0 Big South); South Carolina State (6-7; 0-0 MEAC)
Location: G.B. Hodge Center | Spartanburg, S.C.
How It Happened
First Half
- Scoring off the opening tap, South Carolina State jumped out to an early advantage behind a 9-0 scoring run. Carmelo Adkins opened the scoring for the Spartans, converting an and-one opportunity to snap the Bulldog scoring run before Andrew McConnell canned a wing three to craft Upstate's longest scoring stretch, pulling the game within three.
- Countering the Spartans' run, the Bulldogs expanded their advantage behind its second 9-0 scoring run of the evening before Adkins again ended the scoring stretch. Adkins' bucket began a six-and-a-half minute stretch where neither side scored consecutive field goals, ending with South Carolina State using a mini 4-0 run to double up the Spartans at 32-16.
- Digging into the South Carolina State advantage, Upstate outscored the Bulldogs 18-8 to close the first half following the 16-point Bulldog lead. The stretch started with a 5-0 scoring run from the Spartans, featuring consecutive field goals from Mister Dean. Upstate closed the half on a 6-0 scoring run as Karmani Gregory hit a driving layup with ticks remaining on the clock, trimming the Bulldog lead to six at the break.
Second Half
- Opening the second half much like it did the first, South Carolina State began the period with another lengthy scoring run, reeling off seven straight markers. The Bulldogs held Upstate without a free throw for the first six minutes of the new half, building its advantage behind a 13-5 scoring stretch.
- Trimming the Bulldog lead back to 10, Upstate offered a 7-1 scoring stretch fueled by five points from Chico Johnson to cut the lead with 6:23 remaining. Keeping the Spartans at bay, South Carolina State held Upstate without a field goal for over five minutes with much of the Spartans' points in the stretch coming from the charity stripe, seeing the game's final field goal, a Adkins three, coming with two minutes remaining.
Notable
- Making 14-of-16 attempts from the free throw line, Carmelo Adkins' 14 made free throws Wednesday are the most in a single game by a Spartan since March 21, 2022, when Bryson Mozone made 13 against South Alabama.
Up Next for the Spartans
Closing out the homestand, the non-conference slate, and the calendar year, USC Upstate welcomes Youngstown State to the G.B. Hodge Center Saturday. The Spartans and Penguins tip off at 1 p.m. ET.
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