Cunningham hits half-dozen 3-pointers, leads Upstate to win

Jan 28, 2018, 04:50 pm

SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- Mike Cunningham made a career-high six 3-pointers and scored 22 points and South Carolina Upstate beat Kennesaw State 79-73 on Saturday.

Cunningham was 6 of 7 from the arc while Philip Whittington added 19 points, Josh Cuthbertson 10 points and Ramel Thompkins 11 rebounds for the Spartans (15-9, 5-2 Atlantic Sun), who have won four of their past five games. Upstate made 10 of 18 3-pointers.

Aubrey Williams scored 12 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the Owls (9-14, 3-4). Nick Masterson added 14 points and Kendrick Ray 10.

Cuthbertson scored the game's first points but Kennesaw State then took the lead for the rest of the first half and held it until Cunningham's basket gave Upstate a 45-44 lead with 13:40 remaining. Malik Moore's 3-pointer gave Upstate the lead for good at 54-51 with under nine minutes left.

Masterson made two free throws to cut it to 77-73 with 16 seconds left but Whittington added a pair right after that.