South Carolina-Upstate holds off NJIT for 80-78 win

Jan 9, 2016, 07:04 pm

NEWARK, N.J. -- Michael Buchanan scored a season-high 20, including the winning tip-in with 0.4 seconds left, to help South Carolina-Upstate hold off a second-half rally and slip past New Jersey Institute of Technology 80-78 Saturday.

Upstate opened a 50-33 lead with 19 minutes to play.

NJIT (9-8, 0-1 Atlantic Sun) slowly chipped away as Damon Lynn scored 16 of his 22 points in the second half.

Tim Coleman's 3 capped an 8-0 run that gave the Highlanders their first lead, 71-69, since early in the first half.

Jure Span answered with a 3-pointer for Upstate and, after a pair of free throws by Coleman, Buchanan converted a 3-point play to put the Spartans up 75-73.

After a layup by NJIT's Ky Howard tied it, Mike Cunningham hit a 3 on the other end.

Lynn's sixth 3-pointer tied with 26 seconds left, but Buchanan's tip-in sealed it.

Malik Moore scored 15 for Upstate (7-11, 1-0).

Coleman and Howard had 19 points apiece for NJIT, which played its first game as a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference.