UNC Asheville Sweeps Regular-Season Series, Tops South Carolina Upstate 76-67

UNC Asheville rallied in the second half at Kimmel Arena to defeat South Carolina Upstate 76-67, sweeping the Ingles I-26 regular-season series and delivering a momentum lift for the Bulldogs in the Big South standings. The victory showcased a potent second-half offensive surge and a balanced roster effort that mattered to fans and campus life in Buncombe County.

Kameron Taylor led Asheville with 21 points and five assists, including a free throw that tied the game at 56 and an old-fashioned three-point play during the comeback. Toyaz Solomon posted 15 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks en route to his sixth double-double of the season; AP/ESPN box-score data also list Solomon with five assists. Justin Wright added 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting, while a player identified as Patrick contributed 12 points, drilling four three-pointers that helped ignite the second-half rally. Myles Mayfield had nine points and seven rebounds, and Daniel Thomas finished with six points and four rebounds.

The Bulldogs trailed 36-32 at halftime after an evenly contested first half, but Asheville flipped the script by outscoring USC Upstate 44-31 in the second half. UNC Asheville shot 46.4 percent in the first half before improving to 60 percent in the second, finishing 52.8 percent for the game. The Bulldogs connected on eight three-pointers and went 12-for-19 from the free-throw line. USC Upstate was led by Karmani Gregory’s 22 points and four assists; Carmelo Adkins added 12. The Spartans shot 41 percent overall, made six three-pointers and were 11-for-17 at the foul line. Officials for the game were J.W. Lucas, Sean Lineberger and Connor Macdaid.

Game flow swung in Asheville’s favor after the Spartans pushed an early second-half lead to eight and held the edge through the first 10 minutes. UNC Asheville’s comeback sequence unfolded with Patrick knocking down a three, Solomon going to the charity stripe, Taylor answering a Spartan basket with a three, and Taylor completing an old-fashioned three-point play. The Spartans briefly regained a two-point edge before Patrick buried another three to give Asheville a 59-58 lead, and the Bulldogs closed out the win.

The result moves UNC Asheville to 11-13 overall and 5-5 in Big South play while USC Upstate fell to 10-14 and 2-7. The standings remain tight near the middle of the conference, where every league win affects seeding and local interest.

Social-media posts after the game captured local enthusiasm: “3J strikes again! 🔥#ALLinAVL #IWWD” and “Toyaz Solomon recorded his sixth double-double of the season, and with his 11 rebounds he is our @JaniKingClean Player of the Game! 🧼#ALLinAVL #IWWD”, Asheville Basketball (@UNCAvlMBB).

Beyond the box score, the game highlights community investment in local sports as a source of civic pride and activity that draws people into downtown Asheville. For public-health stakeholders and campus leaders, meanwhile, games are also moments to balance crowd wellbeing, accessibility and student-athlete support. As the Bulldogs press deeper into conference play, Asheville can expect continued local engagement and scrutiny on how athletics contributes to student welfare and community priorities. The Bulldogs will look to build on this second-half resilience as Big South matchups tighten in the weeks ahead.