Upstate caps late rally, takes down Gardner-Webb on senior night

Khydarius Smith elevates for first-half dunk as USC Upstate fended off Gardner-Webb. (Photo by Ryan Frye/USC Upstate Athletics)

By Justin Mathis (@J_Math23)

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Excitement was all around the USC Upstate campus as it celebrated Homecoming. It also marked the last home game for five members of the men’s basketball team – Khydarius Smith, Nick Alves, Mysta Goodloe, Thomas Sheida, and Dave Dickerson III.

 

Four players, including two seniors led the way and helped the Spartans hold off a late Gardner-Webb charge for a 75-69 victory in front of a sold out crowd at the Hodge Center.

 

Ten seconds into the second half, an Anthony Selden layup made it a one-score deficit for the Runnin’ Bulldogs. A couple of minutes later, three Bulldog free throws and a Lucas Stieber three-pointer, cutting the lead down to 42-38 with 13:18remaining. 

 

Consecutive triples for the Spartans – one apiece by Goodloe and Alves – pushed the Spartan lead out to 10 points and led to a Bulldog stoppage with 11:35 left. A Selden basket cut the deficit to six, but two driving layups by Smith and a Justin Bailey jumper quickly made it a double-digit lead again for Upstate.

 

“Our guys came out focused and ready to play,” said USC Upstate head coach Dave Dickerson. “I loved our moxie during shootaround at 9:15 AM (Saturday morning). We did some good things today, but most importantly gave ourselves a chance to breathe a little this week. We’re definitely playing our best basketball of the season. I love our poise, confidence, and the way we’re practicing.”

 

A couple of minutes later, a Jordan Gainey step-back triple and a Trae Broadnax layup made it a 63-55 Upstate lead with 4:24 to play. Down the stretch, the Bulldogs used a pair of 5-0 bursts to stay within striking distance.

 

“This is the most exciting time of the year for basketball,” Gainey remarked. “Everyone wants to be here and everyone wants to win. Everything has to be high level and high intensity. We have been confident throughout this whole season. Whenever we’re all connected all as one, there’s nothing that can stop us from doing what we really want to do.”

 

A DQ Nicholas three-point play with 29 seconds left made it a 71-69 contest, but Broadnax and Bailey each made two shots from the charity stripe to seal the win. The Spartans knocked down 21 of their 23 free throw attempts on the day, while the Runnin’ Bulldogs were 18-for-29 from the line.

 

Four Spartans finished in double figures as Smith, Gainey, and Broadnax each poured in a team-high 16 points. The 16 points ties a career-high for Smith. Goodloe also finished with 10 points for Upstate. Gardner-Webb was led by Selden with a game-high 21 points.

 

“This is officially March Madness,” Dickerson stated when asked about postseason play. “We’ve got to practice and play well. We’ve got to do all the little things like defend, rebound, take care of the basketball, and then have an offensive toughness. If we can do those things, I like our chances in Charlotte.”

 

With the win, Upstate (15-14, 10-8) will be the fourth seed in next week’s Big South tournament in Charlotte, North Carolina (Bojangles Coliseum), where it will once again face Gardner-Webb (15-15, 10-8) at approximately 2 p.m. in the quarterfinals.