CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Earning the team's first road victory of the 2024-25 season, USC Upstate men's basketball wasn't deterred by Western Carolina's halftime advantage as a momentous 13-0 scoring run to begin the second half propelled the Spartans to a gutsy 74-68 victory Saturday afternoon.
 
Entering the locker room facing a six-point disadvantage, Upstate built the game's final margin within the first four minutes of the second half, reeling off a 13-0 scoring run to begin the stanza. The seeds of the team's run were planted in the first half with the Spartans' five-straight markers to close the first half feeding the team's game-changing 18-0 scoring run.
 
Four Spartans closed the evening in double-figures paced by a game-high 16 points from junior guard Brit Harris built behind a 6-of-9 shooting performance. Just behind him with 14 markers, freshman Carmelo Adkins finished 5-of-8 from the field while adding a team-high five rebounds. Freshman guard Mister Dean and redshirt sophomore guard Karmani Gregory chipped in 11 points apiece with Gregory supplementing his total with a game-best six assists.
 
Game Information
Score: USC Upstate 74; Western Carolina 68
Records: USC Upstate (4-8; 0-0 Big South); Western Carolina (3-5; 0-0 SoCon)
Location: Ramsey Center | Cullowhee, N.C.
 
How It Happened
First Half

• Taking the opening tap, Upstate burst out the gates with the first five points of the contest as Brit Harris laid one in before Carmelo Adkins knocked down a wing three. Flipping the momentum, Western Carolina canned a pair of triples in an 8-1 stretch as it grabbed the lead for the first time, growing the stretch as large as 12-3.
• Chipping away at the Catamount advantage, the Spartans kept pace with its opponent over the next five-and-a-half minutes. Five Spartans found the scoring column in an 11-11 deadlocked scoring stretch with Karmani Gregory pacing with four markers. Hitting four attempts from the free throw line, Western Carolina grew its lead to eight at the under-eight stoppage.
• Countering the run from the free throw line, Upstate trimmed the disadvantage to three with a 5-0 scoring run, a Harris three, and Breylin Garcia layup. Western Carolina responded with the half's longest scoring run, an 8-0 spurt, pushing its advantage to 11.
• Cutting into the Catamount advantage heading toward the break, Upstate closed the half on a 7-2 scoring stretch, ending the period with a 5-0 run. A step-back three from Drew McConnell, chasing a pair of Western Carolina free throws, set the advantage at four in the Catamounts' favor at the break.

 
Second Half

• Adding to the team's 5-0 spurt to close the first half, Upstate's momentum emblazoned itself on the team's game-long scoring run as Upstate opened with the half's first 13 points. Adkins kickstarted the run with a trey as the Spartans reeled off nine points before a Harris slam sent Western Carolina for a timeout. Upstate followed the timeout with two more layups as Garcia twice found cutting teammates.
• Western Carolina snapped the Spartans' scoring run with a layup with 16:07 remaining in the half, however, the basket couldn't quell the Upstate momentum. Upstate chased the Catamount bucket with five additional points, pushing its scoring stretch to 18-2 to begin the new half.
• With the Catamounts attempting to trim the Spartan advantage, Upstate responded by sending the lead to its largest of the day—12 points—on two occasions heading toward the under-eight media stoppage. The duo of Harris and Dean hit the baskets to give Upstate its largest lead of the day, each answering a Western Carolina score.
• Attempting to mount a comeback, Western Carolina held Upstate without a field goal for over four minutes as it tried to cut the lead into single digits. The Spartans hit a pair of free throws in the stretch with Gregory hitting a jumper with 1:50 to play to end the field-goal-less streak. Over the final two minutes, much of the game's scoring came from the charity stripe with the Catamounts hitting the final two field goals before Upstate iced the game from the line.

 
Notable

• Battling back from a six-point halftime deficit, Upstate's victory is the first when trailing at halftime since Feb. 14, 2024, when Upstate battled back to force overtime and overcome High Point on the road.
• Saturday's victory marks the first Division I victory for head coach Marty Richter at the helm of the USC Upstate men's basketball program.

 
Up Next for the Spartans
Off a week hiatus, USC Upstate wraps up its non-conference road slate on Dec. 14 with a trip to the state capital and a meeting with South Carolina. The Spartans and Gamecocks tip at 2 p.m. ET.
 
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