University of South Carolina Upstate Athletics
0-2,0-0Big South
SC State
2-0,0-0MEAC
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina St. | 32 | 46 | 78 |
| USC Upstate | 35 | 35 | 70 |
11/6/2026 10:32:00 PM | Men's Basketball
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – USC Upstate men's basketball battled throughout Friday night's home opener but ultimately fell to South Carolina State, 78-70, inside the G.B. Hodge Center.
The Spartans (0-2) saw three players finish in double figures, led by Alessandro Perotti's team-high 18 points and nine rebounds. Perotti was efficient from the field, connecting on five of his six shot attempts while adding eight points from the free-throw line.
Derek Edmond followed with 14 points and six rebounds, while Ries Naugle provided a spark off the bench with 13 points on 6-of-12 shooting. Amont'e Allen-Johnson contributed seven points, a team-high nine rebounds and five assists.
Upstate came out strong in the opening half, using a balanced offensive attack to build an early advantage. After the teams traded baskets throughout the opening 10 minutes, a three-pointer from Jalyn Patterson and back-to-back free throws from Perotti helped the Spartans establish a 21-16 lead.
A fast-break layup from Naugle extended the advantage to seven before three consecutive free throws from Edmond pushed the Spartans ahead, 26-18, with 7:56 remaining in the half.
The Spartans continued to control the tempo late in the period, with Naugle connecting from beyond the arc before Perotti added a layup to give Upstate its largest lead of the night at 32-23 with 3:45 remaining.
South Carolina State responded with a late push, trimming the deficit to three as Upstate entered the locker room holding a 35-32 advantage.
The Bulldogs opened the second half with increased offensive pressure, eventually taking a 40-39 lead following a three-pointer with 16:38 remaining. The two sides continued to trade baskets, with Upstate reclaiming the advantage behind contributions from Perotti and David Tubek.
After the game was tied at 54 with 9:40 to play, South Carolina State used a 6-0 run to take control. The Spartans battled back, cutting the deficit to three following a three-pointer from Edmond with 4:55 remaining.
A pair of Perotti free throws brought Upstate within two at 65-63 with 4:03 left, but the Bulldogs responded with five unanswered points to stretch their lead to seven.
Despite a late push that included baskets from Allen-Johnson, Edmond and Naugle, South Carolina State held on for the eight-point victory.
Upstate finished the contest shooting 39.6 percent from the field while recording 36 points in the paint and 35 points off the bench. The Spartans also collected 45 rebounds and dished out 11 assists.
South Carolina State (2-0) was led by Noah Treadwell, who finished with 18 points behind six made three-pointers. The Bulldogs connected on 10 three-pointers and scored 46 second-half points to secure the victory.
Notable Numbers
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18: Alessandro Perotti led the Spartans with 18 points, adding nine rebounds while shooting 5-of-6 from the field.
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14: Derek Edmond finished with 14 points and six rebounds, reaching double figures for the Spartans.
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13: Ries Naugle contributed 13 points off the bench, connecting on six field goals.
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9: Amont'e Allen-Johnson pulled down a team-high nine rebounds and dished out five assists.
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35: USC Upstate received 35 points from its bench.
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36: The Spartans scored 36 points in the paint, outscoring the Bulldogs by four in that category.
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