Feb. 2, 2008
Complete Upstate vs. Mercer Game Notes in PDF Format 
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - USC Upstate plays host to Atlantic Sun Conference rival mercer Sunday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. in the Hodge Center. The Super Bowl Sunday showdown has Upstate entering the game with a 5-17 overall record and a 3-5 mark in the A-Sun. Mercer is 9-12 overall and 4-4 in the league. Spartan fans can listen to the game live on the radio in the Spartanburg area on ESPN 1400 AM or on the internet at www.espn1400am.com or www.upstatespartans.com. Follow the game online through ASun.TV by visiting the ASun.TV website at www.asun.tv/uscupstate. Get live statistical updates through Gametracker on the official website of Upstate Athletics at www.upstatespartans.com.
Recapping Kennesaw State
USC Upstate used a 12-0 run to open the second half, turning a seven point deficit into a five point advantage, and then an 8-0 run to effectively put the game away later in the second half to take a 71-65 victory over visiting Kennesaw State Friday night.
Bobby Davis led the way for Upstate, finishing with a career-high 24 points and 11 rebounds to record his fourth double-double of the season. Luke Payne and Jeremy Byrd each finished in double figures as well, finishing with 13 and 10 points, respectively.
Davis Turns In Double Duty
For the fourth time this season, Bobby Davis turned in a double-double Friday night against Kennesaw State. His dominant play helped the Spartans take a 71-65 victory over the Owls. Davis finished the game with a career-high 24 points to go with 11 rebounds. It marked the fifth time the junior power forward has reached double figures in rebounds on the season and the 11th time he has reached double figures in scoring. The 24 points snapped a three-game streak when he did not reach double figures in scoring.
Spartans Non-Conference Schedule 18th
Upon completion of the 14-game non-conference schedule on Jan. 2 at Iowa State, USC Upstate's schedule was ranked as the 18th-toughest schedule by Jeff Sagarin in his daily updated strength of schedule index of all 341 Division I teams.
Byrd Would Be No. 4 If...
Senior point guard Jeremy Byrd is used to sitting atop conference or national statistical lists for steals. He led the Peach Belt Conference in steals in each of the last three years and spent over half of the season last year atop the nation in steals in NCAA Division II.
While Upstate is playing in its first season of Division I competition and is in its reclassifying years, the NCAA does not recognize players on teams who are reclassifying on their statistical leader lists. However, if Byrd were eligible, he would rank fourth in the nation with 3.3 steals per game, trailing South Carolina's Devan Downey by 0.2 spg and Texas-San Antonio's Devin Gibson and Tennessee-Martin's Lester Hudson by 0.1 spg. He does lead the A-Sun in steals, nearly a full steal ahead of No. 2 on the list.
Byrd 26th All-Time In NCAA Steals Category...
Jeremy Byrd now has 334 steals in his standout career at Upstate. The 334 steals ranks 26th all-time in the NCAA in total steals among individuals in all divisions (I, II and III). He is currently tied with East Tennessee State's Keith "Mr." Jenning. he is just six steals shy of the Top 25.
Home Sweet Home
Despite playing just 10 games at home this season, the Spartans will be happy to do so. Upstate has a solid home record, going 57-20 in six years under head coach Eddie Payne.
Hold "Em At 59
USC Upstate is 4-0 when holding opponents under 60 points this season and 1-17 when allowing opponents to score 60 or more. The Spartans claimed wins over Brevard (78-54), SMU (58-56), Gardner-Webb (73-59) and North Florida (53-52) when holding opponents under 60 points.
Breaking The Trend
Upstate did something Friday night against Kennesaw State that the team had not accomplished in any game this season, the Spartans won a game despite allowing an opponent to score 60 or more points. Prior to Friday, Upstate was 0-17 in games when the opponent scored 60 or more points.
Spartans Getting Defensive In A-Sun Play
Since beginning A-Sun play, USC Upstate's effort on the defensive end of the court has picked up. The Spartans allowed non-conference opponents to score 74.6 points per outing. In A-Sun games, though, Upstate has clamped down to hold opponents to a 66.1 ppg scoring average. In non-conference play, opponents shot 47.8 percent from the floor, while league opponents are shooting 40.8 percent from the field.
Byrd Feeling Sunny In League Play
Senior point guard Jeremy Byrd has certainly come into his own during A-Sun play this year. Having served a three-game suspension earlier in the season, the Greenville, S.C., native seemingly lost confidence. Since league play began on Jan. 5, though, Byrd has returned to the form he had during his first three seasons when the electrifying player led the team as the floor general. He currently ranks a close second on the team in scoring during league games at 12.0 ppg. He also averages 3.9 rebounds per outing, has dished out a team-best 24 assists and picked a team-high 22 steals in the seven league games. He has reached double figures in seven of the eight league games, including a season-high 15 at Belmont. Prior to the start of conference play, he had only reached double figures one time. He is also the team leader at the free throw line in league play, hitting 77 percent (27-of-35) of his shots from the charity stripe.
Three In Double Figures
While Luke Payne is the only Spartan to average in double figures overall (14.1 ppg), three Spartans average in double figures in league games. Payne still leads the way at 12.9 ppg, but Jeremy Byrd is close behind at 12.0 ppg. Bobby Davis, who ranks second overall at 9.8 ppg, averages 11.8 points per game against A-Sun competition.
Shaking Up The Lineup
Head Coach Eddie Payne has used nine different starting lineups in 22 games this season. Bobby Davis is the only Spartan to start every game this season. Luke Payne has started 21 of the 22 games this year, his lone missed start coming against IUPUI when he did not start because of a severe thigh bruise. Despite not starting, he played 30 minutes in the game and finished with nine points.
Payne Receives A-Sun Weekly Honor
Senior guard Luke Payne became the first basketball player (men or women) at USC Upstate to receive weekly honors from the Atlantic Sun Conference when he was named the league's player of the week on Dec. 24. Payne received the honor after averaging 18.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.0 steals per game and leading Upstate to their first win over a Division I opponent, a 58-56 victory at SMU (Dec. 18).
Payne Receives BP TOWC Honor
Despite playing the final two games, and part of the first, with a deep thigh bruise at the BP Top of the World Classic Nov. 16-18, starting guard Luke Payne played well enough to garner All-Tournament honors. He scored 43 points in three games, averaging 14.3 points and three rebounds per outing in the tournament. He scored 17 points against Akron and Oregon State and nine against IUPUI.
Payne Receives Sun Bowl Honor
Luke Payne had a tremendous tournament at the State Farm Sun Bowl Tournament in El Paso, Texas, Dec. 21-22. His performance, in particular, in the second game of the tourney against Buffalo not only secured his spot on the All-Tournament team, but it overshadowed a standout two-game performance by teammate Bobby Davis.
Payne finished the UTEP game (Dec. 21) with 11 points, five assists and four rebounds. In the tourney finale against Buffalo the next day, the senior guard went for a career-high 26 points to go along with five rebounds and three assists. He was named to the All-Tournament team after averaging 18.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.
Payne's efforts overshadowed those of Davis who turned in his second double-double of the season with 11 points and 13 rebounds against UTEP and finished with 13 points and six boards against Buffalo. Davis averaged 12.0 points and 9.5 rebounds per game in the tournament.
Monumental Win
USC Upstate's 58-56 win at SMU (Dec. 18) was another milestone victory for the Spartans this year. Upstate claimed its first win in the Division era against Brevard on Dec. 6. However, Brevard is a Division II member, making the SMU win the first against a Division I program this year as well as the first win over a Division I opponents in the history of the school.
Upstate has several wins over programs currently competing on the Division I level, but the wins came in the 1970s and 80s when the institutions played in the NAIA before moving to NCAA Division I membership.
Payne Reaches Milestone
Senior guard Luke Payne notched his 1,000th-point at UNC Greensboro (Nov. 24). The Spartanburg High School graduate sank a three-pointer with a little over seven minutes to play in the game to give him 12 points in the contest and 1,000 for his career. He went on to finish with 15 points in the game.
Payne became the 17th player in the history of the storied program to reach the 1,000-point milestone. He currently has 1,243 points in his career and has cracked the top 10 all-time in scoring, Darren McDuffie (11th), Todd Gambrell (12th), Upstate Athletics Hall of Fame member Mike Smith (12th) on the list as well as Charles Ford (14th), Terrance Gist (15th), Carlos Bryson (16th) and Willie Murdaugh (17th) on the all-time scoring list.
In addition to his scoring prowess, Payne ranks among the program's all-time leaders in 14 other statistical categories.
Playing No Gimmies
Upstate's ambitious schedule in 2007-08 certainly has no slouches on it. In fact, when you combine the win-loss records of the 17 Division I opponents the Spartans have played so far this year, the opponents are a combined 195-180 for a winning percentage of .520. Upstate's non-conference opponents are a combined 134-99 for a winning percentage of .575. The Spartans have played five teams ranked in the Top 100 in the latest RPI ranking released by the NCAA, and 11 in the Top 150.
In the Mid-Major Top 25 Poll released by CollegeInsider.com, the Spartans have played two teams ranked in the poll. Akron, who gutted out a tough 64-60 victory over Upstate in the first game of the BP Top of the World Classic, is ranked 10th. IUPUI, the second-day opponent of the Spartans in the BP TOWC, is ranked 23rd.
USC Upstate's current strength of schedule is ranked as the 103rd toughest schedule out of 341 Division I teams by Jeff Sagarin in his daily updated strength of schedule index. The strength of schedule ranking is the tops in the Atlantic Sun. East Tennessee State is second at No. 171. Upstate's strength of schedule peaked at No. 12 two weeks ago.
Upstate Road Warriors
By season's end, USC Upstate will have played 30 games with two-thirds of the games being played away from the G.B. Hodge Center. In fact, the Spartans opened the season playing their first seven games away from the friendly confines of the Hodge Center before playing its home opener against Brevard on Dec. 6. Upstate played 13 of its first 15 games on the road this season. In all, Upstate will travel more than 12,000 miles away from Spartanburg, and nearly 24,000 miles round trip, this season to play 20 games away from home.
Byrd Flies To The Top
Jeremy Byrd collected six steals in the season-opening game at Utah, surpassing Terrance Gist (276) to move atop the all-time steals list at Upstate. Byrd now has 334 picks in his stellar four-year career with the Spartans.
Byrd, from Greenville, leads the Atlantic Sun with 3.2 steals per game, nearly a full steal ahead of second place on the list. He led the Peach Belt Conference in steals the first three years of his collegiate career, recording 94 steals as a reserve his freshman campaign and 90 each as a sophomore and junior.
Hines Gives Schneiders Props
Reigning Southern Conference player of the year and UNC Greensboro standout Kyle Hines gave Upstate center Nick Schneiders praise on his blog. Hines was in the middle of recapping recent action when he talked of Schneider's thunderous dunk over him.
"USC Upstate had a 7-2 player on their team that I had to guard in the game," Hines blogged. "He was the tallest player I had played against. I faired well against him until one play in the second half, he dunked on me pretty bad. Coach (Mike) Dement showed the play like five times during our film session. I must admit it looked really bad on film. The coaches and rest of the team got a good laugh out of that one."
A-Sun Makes Some Noise
If the start if the season is any indication of how good the Atlantic Sun Conference is going to be this year, the league will be tough. Belmont, East Tennessee State, Gardner-Webb, Mercer and Upstate have pulled off impressive wins early in the season. Below is a listing of the notable wins this season by A-Sun schools.
N7--Gardner-Webb def. No. 22 Kentucky, 84-68
N9--Belmont def. Cincinnati, 86-75
N10--Mercer def. No. 18 Southern Cal, 96-81
N19--Belmont def. Alabama, 85-83
D18--USC Upstate def. SMU, 58-56
D21--East Tennessee State def. Georgia, 76-58
Greensboro Newbies Have Solid Pedigrees
When coaches bring in new recruits, they not only look for individual talent, they also look to see how well a player helps their former team and the how well the teams do in competition. Josh Chavis and Mezie Uzochukwu, both from Greensboro, N.C., come to Upstate after strong senior seasons.
Chavis, from Dudley HS, played in the North Carolina East-West All-Star game. He also spent the summer playing for the N.C. Gaters AAU team. He was the starting point guard on the team that won the AAU 19-Under National Championship. Uzochukwu, from Northeast Guilford HS, also played in the North Carolina East-West All-Star game. He finished the game with a team-high 16 points to go along with eight rebounds, leading the West squad to the 81-75 victory and earning MVP honors. He joined a prestigious club of East-West MVP winners, including recent honorees Kevin Swinton and William Graves, both of whom now play in the ACC.
Burrows Brings Experience To Sidelines
First-year assistant coach Bill Burrows is anything but new to the game. The veteran of the sideline has been a head coach on the high school level in North Carolina for nearly 30 years and was an assistant coach at Georgia Tech and Towson. He can tell stories of coaching greats such as Brad Daugherty and Brad Johnson, but his best quality may be his ability to tell stories that both entertain and educate.
Paul Makes Good
Former Spartan starting point guard C.J. Paul is now living the life around the NBA. No, he is not playing in the world's top league, he is serving as the personal assistant/manager for his younger brother, Chris, the former NBA Rookie of Year now in his third season with the New Orleans Hornets.
Scouting Mercer
Mercer enters Sunday's game with a 9-12 overall record and a 4-4 mark in the A-Sun. The Bears are coming off of two straight losses in the conference, falling to Belmont, 93-82, on Jan. 26 and losing at East Tennessee State, 85-79, Friday night. Mercer started the season in grand fashion, shocking the college basketball world with a 96-81 over then 18th-ranked Southern Cal on Nov. 10. In addition to the win over Southern Cal, the Bears claimed non-conference wins over CHarleston Southern, Furman, Sewanee and South Carolina State. Mercer has lost non-conference games to Alabama, Harvard, Boston College, Loyola Marymount, Georgia Southern, Auburn, College of Charleston and VMI. The Bears have defeated Kennesaw State, North Florida, Florida Gulf Coast and Lipscomb in conference play, while losing in league contests to Jacksonville, Stetson, Belmont and ETSU.
About The Team
Mercer can put the ball in the hoop, but they typically only get production out of six players. James Florence leads the team in scoring with 19.3 ppg. He also has dished out a team-high 64 assists on the year and has made a team-best 49 three-pointers. Shaddean Aaron is second on the team in scoring at 16.7 ppg. Brian Pfohl scores in double figures at 12.2 ppg, while Calvin Henry averages 10.1 ppg. Mark Hall and Sam Dolan average 7.3 and 6.7 ppg, respectively. The six make up 91 percent of the scoring on the team.
Mercer shoots the ball well from the floor, hitting 45.3 percent of its shots, including 34.9 percent from behind the three-point arc. The Bears also convert 68.7 percent of their free throws. Defensively, Mercer has forced 290 turnovers on the year and makes its biggest impact with blocked shots, totaling 120.
About The Coach
Head Coach Mark Slonaker is in his 11th season at Mercer. It is his only head coaching stint at a four-year institution. He has posted a 126-182 career record at mercer. Combining his work at Mercer and his two seasons at Pensacola Junior College, he owns a 167-213 career record. The 126 career wins at Mercer rank as the third most in the history of the program. His 2002-03 Bears finished with a 23-6 record, tying the 2003-04 UTEP squad with the biggest turnaround in NCAA history from the previous year. Mercer had gone 6-23 in 2001-02.
