ASHEVILLE, N.C. (Interstat) — UNC Asheville used a dominant second-half performance to defeat South Carolina Upstate 76-67 in a Big South Conference men’s basketball game Wednesday night at Kimmel Arena. Leading by just four points at halftime, the Bulldogs outscored the Spartans 44-31 after the break. UNC Asheville’s efficient offense, which shot 52.8% from the floor, proved decisive. Kameron Taylor led the Bulldogs with 21 points and five assists, while Toyaz Solomon added 15 points and three blocks. South Carolina Upstate’s Karmani Gregory scored a game-high 22 points in the loss. The Spartans shot just 41% from the field and were outrebounded. Attendance was 876. UNC Asheville improved to 11-13, while South Carolina Upstate fell to 10-14.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (Interstat) — A dominant second-half performance powered by a balanced offensive attack and stifling interior defense lifted UNC Asheville to a 76-67 victory over South Carolina Upstate in a Big South Conference men’s basketball game Wednesday night at Kimmel Arena. The Bulldogs, who led by just four points at halftime, outscored the Spartans 44-31 after the break to pull away and sweep the season series. The win improved UNC Asheville to 11-13 overall, while South Carolina Upstate fell to 10-14. The most important part of the game was UNC Asheville’s decisive 14-2 run early in the second half that transformed a narrow contest into a comfortable lead. With the Bulldogs clinging to a 34-32 advantage, they unleashed a burst of efficiency on both ends of the floor. The surge was fueled by a combination of forced turnovers and sharp shooting. Kameron Taylor ignited the run with a driving layup, and after a South Carolina Upstate turnover, DJ Patrick buried a three-pointer off an assist from Toyaz Solomon. Following another Spartan miss, Patrick connected again from beyond the arc, pushing the lead to 42-34 and forcing a South Carolina Upstate timeout. The Bulldogs’ defense was the catalyst, holding the Spartans without a field goal for over four minutes during the critical stretch. UNC Asheville’s length and activity, particularly from Solomon and Patrick, disrupted the Spartan offense, which struggled to find clean looks near the basket. This defensive stand provided the separation the Bulldogs needed, establishing a double-digit margin that South Carolina Upstate would challenge but never seriously threaten for the remainder of the game. Karmani Gregory led all scorers with 22 points for South Carolina Upstate, adding four assists. Carmelo Adkins contributed 12 points for the Spartans, who shot just 41 percent from the field and a frigid 26.1 percent from three-point range. Despite winning the turnover battle 12-9 and scoring 17 fastbreak points to UNC Asheville’s five, the Spartans could not overcome their shooting woes or contain the Bulldogs’ multifaceted offense. UNC Asheville countered with a well-rounded effort. Kameron Taylor paced the Bulldogs with 21 points and five assists. Toyaz Solomon posted a strong line of 15 points, five assists and three blocks, anchoring the paint defensively. DJ Patrick added 12 points, all from three-point range, and Justin Wright chipped in 13 points off the bench. The Bulldogs shot an efficient 52.8 percent from the floor and outrebounded the Spartans. The first half was a back-and-forth affair featuring eight lead changes. South Carolina Upstate started quickly, hitting three of its first four shots, including a three-pointer from Adkins on the game’s first possession, to take an early 8-5 lead. UNC Asheville responded with an 8-0 run, capped by a Taylor three-pointer, to go ahead 13-8. The Spartans answered with a 9-2 spurt of their own, retaking the lead at 17-15 on a three-pointer from Isaiah Skinner. The teams continued to trade baskets, with neither leading by more than four points in the period. A tip-in dunk by Solomon with 32 seconds left sent the Bulldogs into the locker room with a 32-28 advantage. The second half, however, belonged entirely to UNC Asheville. After the Spartans cut the lead to two, the Bulldogs unleashed their game-changing run. South Carolina Upstate made several attempts to rally, closing to within seven points on multiple occasions, but each time UNC Asheville had an answer, usually from Taylor or Patrick. A late alley-oop from Solomon to Daniel Thomas with 1:47 remaining provided the exclamation point, extending the lead to 76-67 and sealing the victory. The game’s tempo and efficiency metrics underscored UNC Asheville’s control. The Bulldogs scored 76 points on just 67 possessions for an offensive rating of 113.4, while the Spartans managed only 67 points on 73 possessions, an offensive rating of 91.7. An announced crowd of 876 at Kimmel Arena saw the Bulldogs snap a two-game skid and avenge a loss from earlier in the season. South Carolina Upstate, which had won two of its last three, now looks to regroup before hosting Charleston Southern on Saturday. UNC Asheville travels to face Longwood next Thursday.

Preview: Spartans, Bulldogs Meet in Big South Showdown ASHEVILLE, N.C. (Interstat) — Two teams seeking consistency will clash Wednesday when the South Carolina Upstate Spartans visit the UNC Asheville Bulldogs in a Big South Conference men’s basketball game. Both teams enter Kimmel Arena with identical 10-13 overall records, adding urgency to the 7 p.m. tipoff. The matchup is a quick rematch from Jan. 21, when UNC Asheville handled South Carolina Upstate 83-69 on the Spartans’ home floor. The Bulldogs (10-13) will lean on guard Kameron Taylor, who torched the Spartans for 27 points in the last meeting. Taylor is averaging 23.4 points over his last seven games, including a 25-point performance in a loss at Winthrop last Saturday. Justin Wright (21 points) and Toyaz Solomon (14 points, 3 rebounds) provided key support in that contest. South Carolina Upstate (10-13) arrives with momentum from a 65-60 home win over Longwood last Thursday. Guard Karmani Gregory led the way with 19 points and five assists. Gregory, who scored 16 against Asheville in January, has averaged 17.0 points over his last five outings. Carmelo Adkins (18 points vs. Longwood) is another offensive catalyst. The Spartans have struggled on the road in conference play, while UNC Asheville has been strong at home, winning three of its last four at Kimmel Arena, including a 69-50 rout of Gardner-Webb on Jan. 29. Wednesday’s result will provide a pivotal swing in the mid-conference standings as both teams aim to build a winning streak ahead of the final month of the regular season. The Bulldogs will look to complete the season sweep, while the Spartans seek revenge and a critical road victory.