Final Boxscore (pdf)
Game Book

SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- The North Florida basketball team struggled offensively in the second half as USC Upstate rode a 27-10 run to an 80-63 victory on Thursday night at the Hodge Center.

The Ospreys (15-11, 7-2 Atlantic Sun) saw their four-game road win streak snapped as the Spartans (19-7, 6-3) earned the season sweep of UNF while extending their current win streak to seven games. Upstate broke open a tied game at the half with a surge midway through the second period capped by an 11-0 run over a five minute stretch.

USC Upstate shot 50 percent from the floor for the game including a 58 percent, 44-point showing in the decisive second half. The Spartans also tallied a 41-28 advantage in rebounding. North Florida finished with 16 assists and only six turnovers, but were a chilly 33 percent from the floor in the final 20 minutes of play.

Sophomore Chris Davenport led the way for UNF finishing with 17 points, 15 coming in the first half. Beau Beech added 11 points for the Ospreys while Jalen Nesbitt toppd the team with seven boards. Dallas Moore (6) and Nesbitt (5) combined for 11 assists in the contest.

Ty Greene scored 18 of his game high 25 points in the second half to key the winning charge for the Spartans. ShunQuez Stephens finished with a 14 point, 10 rebound double-double for Upstate.

"Give Upstate credit for making the shots they needed to in the second half," said head coach Matthew Driscoll. "We had opportunities but just weren't able to convert baskets during a span of the game when we needed to score and get defensive stops. We had two starters in foul trouble early in the second half and that forced us to have to do some different things and that was a challenge. However, we have got to be able to overcome that by being resilient. We have to get ready and be prepared to play our next game on Saturday afternoon."

The first half was a game of runs with the score seesawing back-and-forth. Neither team would lead by more than six in the half though as both teams were able to keep things close. UNF made the first surge, racing out to a 9-3 lead to open the game. The Spartans answered with an 11-2 run of their own to earn their first lead of the game, 12-11, with 12 minutes left in the period.

A 10-3 spurt for the Ospreys was quickly followed by a 9-2 run from Upstate before the teams settled into a possession by possession battle over the final four minutes of the half. The two squads played through eight lead changes and three ties in the half, including the 36-36 knot at the break.

Moore started the second half off with a three-pointer but Upstate answered with eight straight points to grab a lead the would not relinquish. North Florida closed the deficit to four points, 54-50, on a layup from Nesbitt with 12:04 left. Unfortunately, the Spartans scored the next six points to tip off their game deciding surge.

North Florida, who is now 4-1 on the road in Atlantic Sun play this season, continues its weekend road trip Saturday against Kennesaw State at 2 p.m.