(WLOS) The UNC Asheville men’s basketball team battled but fell on the road to USC Upstate on Saturday afternoon by a score of 76-70. With the loss, the Bulldogs move to 18-7 overall and 10-2 in Big South play.

Drew Pember led the way for the Bulldogs on Saturday with 29 points (8-for-15 from field, 11-for-14 from free throw line) to go with eight rebounds. It marks the 13th time this season that Pember has scored 20 or more points in a game this season.

Caleb Burgess also finished the day in double figures with 10 points and dished out a team-high six assists. Fletcher Abee chipped in nine points on a trio of 3-pointers for the second straight game. Rounding out the stat leaders for Asheville was Nick McMullen, who matched Pember’s eight rebounds to lead the team.

Saturday’s game began with both teams taking turns with the lead. There were seven lead changes in the first half with both teams having sizable runs (Asheville – 12-0, Upstate – 8-0). Pember did the bulk of the damage for Asheville in the first 20 minutes with 13 points. Even with the production from Pember and the rest of the Bulldogs, Upstate led by two points at halftime, 29-27.

After shooting below 43 percent from the field in the first half, both teams saw a significant boost in offensive firepower in the second half. Upstate and its upgraded offense built an 11-point lead, 62-51, with 5:44 to go in regulation.

Asheville, however, kept battling down the stretch to come back. A 3-pointer from Abee made it a one possession game, 65-62, with 1:39 to go. Despite 16 points from Pember, 10 from Burgess, and nine from Abee in the second half, the Spartans were able to hold off the late charge from the Bulldogs thanks in part to an 8-for-8 effort from the free throw line and finish off the 76-70 win.

Asheville will return to action on Wednesday when it welcomes longtime rival Winthrop to Kimmel Arena.