Game Notes
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SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The USC Upstate men's basketball team (13-9, 7-3 Atlantic Sun) will begin a three-game road stretch with a non-conference tilt Monday night at Jacksonville State (9-14, 4-6 Ohio Valley).  Tip-off inside the Pete Matthews Coliseum is slated for 5:15 p.m. (CT).

For those fans that cannot attend Monday's contest there are several ways you can follow the action from the opening tip to the final horn.  Fans can follow the action by clicking the live audio and live stats links above. 

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Spartan Specs…

• Upstate head coach Eddie Payne is just seven wins shy of 400 for his career.

• Jodd Maxey scored a game-high 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the victory over ETSU (1/27/12)  Maxey also swatted five shots to become the first Spartan since Babatunde Olumuyiwa (6, vs. UNC Asheville, 11/29/10) to block five or more shots in a single game.

• Mario Blessing tied a career-high with 11 points in the win over the Bucs.  He clinched the game for the Spartans with a triple from the right wing with 1:17 left to clinch the game for the Spartans.

• Ricardo Glenn pulled down a career-best 17 rebounds (8 off, 9 def) against ETSU (1/27/12), while Torrey Craig registered his seventh double-double of the season (11 points, 10 rebounds).  Glenn's 17 rebounds were the most since Craig recorded 15 against ETSU (12/5/10); Craig and Glenn have each pulled down 10+ rebounds in back-to-back games.

• Torrey Craig earned A-Sun Player of the Week honors (1/24/12) after leading Upstate to a pair of conference wins over Belmont and Lipscomb.  The last time an A-Sun school claimed back-to-back wins over Belmont and Lipscomb was Jacksonville (2009-10 season).

• Despite shooting just 30.4% (21-69) from the floor, Upstate used strong defense to pick up a 61-52 win over Lipscomb (1/23/12).  The Spartans forced 20 turnovers and converted those Bison miscue into 17 points.

• Torrey Craig notched his sixth double-double of the season with a 14-point, 12-rebound performance against the Bison (1/23/12).  Ricardo Glenn tied a career-high with 14 rebounds and it was the first time Upstate had two players grab 10 or more rebounds in a contest since Bobby Davis (10) and Nick Schneiders (10) accomplished the feat at Gonzaga (3/3/09).

• Jodd Maxey was a stat sheet stuffer against Lipscomb (1/23/12) as he totaled nine points, seven steals, five rebounds, two assists and one block.  His seven steals are tied for seventh nationally in a single-game.

• Torrey Craig earned College Sports Madness A-Sun Player of the Week honors (1/23/12).

• Torrey Craig scored 17 points in the second half, including the game-winning basket with 0.7 seconds remaining on the clock as Upstate rallied from a 16-point halftime deficit to defeat Belmont (W, 79-78, 1/21/12).

• Against Belmont (1/21/12), Jodd Maxey scored a career-high 19 points after connecting on 7-of-12 field goal attempts and 5-of-8 free throw attempts.  Ricardo Glenn finished a perfect 4-for-4 against the Bruins en route to a 10-point outing.  Ty Greene also reached double-figures (12) after sinking four field goals and four free throws.

Today's Opponent – Jacksonville State

After dropping road contests at nationally-ranked Murray State as well as Austin Peay, the Gamecocks have won their last three contests.

Jacksonville State started the win streak with a one-point win at Tennessee Tech (1/19/12)  and followed with home wins over Eastern Illinois (W, 63-45, 1/26/12) and Southern Illinois-Edwardsville (W, 76-65, 1/28/12).

Brian Williams and Tarvin Gaines lead Jacksonville State in scoring with 12.6 and 10.3 points per game, respectively.

Ronnie Boggs is the team's leader in rebounding leader at 4.3 rebounds per contest, while Williams paces the team with 78 assists (3.4 apg) on the year.

Following Monday's tilt with Upstate, the Gamecocks will travel to Martin, Tenn., for a conference battle at UT-Martin Feb. 2.

Last Time vs. Jacksonville State – Dec. 1, 2011 – Spartanburg, S.C. (Hodge Center)

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) – Torrey Craig scored 20 points, including the go-ahead layup with 18 seconds remaining, as USC Upstate edged Jacksonville State 50-48 Thursday night for its fourth straight victory.

Craig also grabbed 13 rebounds for the Spartans (6-2), including Brian Williams' attempt at a winning 3-point shot for the Gamecocks (2-6) with 2 seconds left.  Jacksonville State, which has lost four straight, led 30-17 at halftime, but the Spartans used a 10-0 run to get within 36-31 with 10:34 left in the game.

Two free throws by Craig gave Upstate its first lead, 46-45, with 3:39 left, and it never trailed again although the Gamecocks tied it twice.

Craig was the only player to score in double figures for either team. The Spartans shot 34 percent (18 of 53) and the Gamecocks 38.5 percent (15 of 39), including 26.3 percent (5 of 19) in the second half.

Below Freezing

In the Spartans last two outings the Spartans have managed to shoot just 30.4% (Lipscomb, 1/23/12) and 31.7% (ETSU, 1/27/12).  However the Spartans were able to come away with victories in each contest inside the Hodge Center.  Defense played a big key in each Upstate victory.  Against the Bison, Upstate forced 20 turnovers leading to 17 points, followed by 18 turnovers by the Bucs (leading to 15 points).  The Spartans blocked a total of 13 shots between the two contests.

Block Party

In Upstate's 58-54 victory over ETSU, redshirt-sophomore Jodd Maxey tallied five of the Spartans' six rejections in the contest.  Maxey becomes the first Spartan to record five or more blocks in a single game since Babatunde Olumuyiwa blocked six shots against UNC Asheville (11/29/10).