SPARTANBURG, S.C. (Interstat) — In a game defined by relentless pressure and critical mistakes, South Carolina Upstate capitalized on a staggering disparity in points off turnovers to outlast Charleston Southern 100-94 in overtime in a Big South Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at the G.B. Hodge Center.

The Spartans, who improved to 11-14 overall, forced 22 Charleston Southern turnovers and converted them into 30 points, a decisive 28-point advantage in that category that ultimately negated a brilliant scoring duel between the Buccaneers’ backcourt and their own star guard. Charleston Southern, which also fell to 11-14, managed just two points off 11 Upstate turnovers.

The game’s pivotal dynamic was established early and never relented. Upstate’s defensive pressure, led by the active hands of Karmani Gregory and Breylin Garcia, created a torrent of transition opportunities. The Spartans finished with 17 fastbreak points to the Buccaneers’ four, consistently turning steals into easy baskets that fueled their offense on a afternoon when half-court execution was often a struggle.

Despite the turnover woes, Charleston Southern stayed in the fight behind the prolific scoring of Jesse Hafemeister and Jacob Taylor. Hafemeister, a 6-foot-5 guard from Mendham, New Jersey, poured in 32 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Taylor, a 6-3 guard from Marietta, Georgia, added 24 points. Their efforts helped the Buccaneers take a narrow 40-39 lead into halftime and later erase a second-half deficit to force the extra period.

The second half was a back-and-forth affair featuring 11 lead changes. Upstate seemed to seize control with a 12-2 run midway through the period, keyed by transition scores from Garcia and Gregory, to build a 75-66 advantage. Charleston Southern responded with a 14-4 surge of its own, capped by a Hafemeister layup with 2:23 remaining, to retake the lead at 80-79. The final minutes of regulation were a tense exchange of baskets, with Upstate’s Mason Bendinger hitting a tough turnaround jumper to tie the game at 91-91 with 1:17 left. Both teams had chances to win in the final minute but came up empty, sending the game to overtime tied at 91.

The overtime period belonged entirely to the Spartans and Gregory. The 6-1 guard from Palmetto, Florida, who finished with 29 points, seven assists, five rebounds and four steals, took over. He assisted on a Tyler Smith three-pointer on Upstate’s first possession and then found Bendinger for a layup to establish a quick five-point cushion. Charleston Southern, visibly fatigued and stifled by the continued pressure, managed only a single field goal in the extra frame—a three-pointer from Taylor—and was outscored 9-3.

Gregory’s all-around performance was the cornerstone of the Upstate victory. Beyond his scoring, his playmaking and defensive activity were instrumental. Bendinger, a 6-4 forward from Salt Lake City, provided crucial support with 25 points and six rebounds. Garcia, a 6-6 forward from the Dominican Republic, was a force off the bench with 16 points and five rebounds, while Carmelo Adkins added 20 points.

For Charleston Southern, the interior presence of 7-1 center Devin Brafford, who had 11 rebounds and two blocks, and 6-10 forward Reis Jones, who contributed eight points, seven rebounds and three blocks, was not enough to overcome the team’s ball-handling issues. The Buccaneers shot efficiently overall but their 22 giveaways proved fatal.

The game was a mirror of the teams’ first meeting this season on Jan. 14, which Upstate also won in overtime, 86-81. The victory gave the Spartans a regular-season sweep of the series.

A crowd of 320 at the Hodge Center saw the teams combine for 194 points, far surpassing the over/under line of 149.5. Despite the loss, Charleston Southern had been installed as a narrow one-point pregame favorite by oddsmakers.

Both teams continue Big South play on Thursday. Charleston Southern hosts Presbyterian, while South Carolina Upstate welcomes High Point.