CARROLLTON, Ga. (Interstat) — In a hard-fought non-conference men’s basketball game Friday night, the West Georgia Wolves used a strong second-half push to fend off the South Carolina Upstate Spartans, securing a 72-64 victory before an intimate crowd of 522 at The Coliseum.

The contest was a tale of two halves, with both teams trading blows before the Wolves ultimately pulled away down the stretch. West Georgia improved its season record to 4-2 with the win, while South Carolina Upstate fell to 3-4.

The first half was a tightly contested affair characterized by runs from both sides. South Carolina Upstate established an early rhythm, but West Georgia steadily chipped away, building a slim 32-28 lead by the halftime buzzer. The Wolves’ advantage was cemented in the final seconds of the period when Eric Baldassarre, a reserve guard from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, drained a critical three-pointer off an assist from Kenneth Chime. The Spartans’ Carmelo Adkins answered with a three of his own just before the horn, keeping the visitors within striking distance.

West Georgia emerged from the locker room with renewed intensity, quickly extending its lead. A three-pointer from Josh Smith on the opening possession of the second half sparked a run that put the Wolves in control. South Carolina Upstate, however, refused to capitulate. Led by the scoring of Mason Bendinger and Carmelo Adkins, the Spartans mounted several rallies, consistently answering West Georgia baskets to keep the deficit manageable.

Every time the Spartans drew close, the Wolves had a response, often from their dynamic forward, Shelton Williams-Dryden. The back-and-forth nature of the game persisted deep into the second half, with the Spartans cutting the lead to just two possessions on multiple occasions. However, crucial baskets from Williams-Dryden and Smith, coupled with key defensive stops, allowed West Georgia to maintain its cushion in the final minutes.

With under a minute to play and clinging to a narrow lead, West Georgia sealed the game at the free-throw line. Williams-Dryden calmly sank a pair of foul shots in the closing seconds to ice the victory, providing the final margin.

Individual performances highlighted the night. For West Georgia, Shelton Williams-Dryden was the engine, leading all scorers with 22 points while pulling down a game-high 38 minutes. He was ably supported by Josh Smith of Chicago, who provided a significant offensive spark with 18 points, and Kolten Griffin, who orchestrated the offense with a team-high 5 assists to go with his 10 points. The interior presence of JaVar Daniel was also pivotal, as the Memphis native contributed 10 points and was a force on the defensive glass.

South Carolina Upstate was led by the prolific scoring of Mason Bendinger. The 6-foot-4 guard from Salt Lake City poured in 21 points, consistently attacking the basket to keep the Spartans competitive. His backcourt mate, Carmelo Adkins from Lubbock, Texas, was equally effective, netting 19 points. Defensively, the Spartans were anchored by Jafeth Martinez, the 6-foot-9 forward from Roatan, Honduras, who swatted away 4 shots and altered countless others.

The game was a defensive struggle at times, with both teams forcing turnovers and contesting shots vigorously. West Georgia’s ability to convert in the paint and capitalize on second-chance opportunities proved to be a deciding factor, offsetting South Carolina Upstate’s persistent efforts.

The Wolves will look to carry this momentum into their next contest, a road game against Georgia Tech on Sunday. South Carolina Upstate, meanwhile, returns home to face North Carolina Central on Tuesday as it seeks to get back to a .500 record.