Ge'Lawn Guyn and and Troy Caupain each scored 15 and had three 3-pointers apiece for Cincinnati (7-0), which closed out a seven-game home stretch to start the season. The Bearcats shot 50 percent from 3-point territory for 13 treys, led by Kilpatrick, who was 6-of-9 from long range to go with seven assists.

Ricardo Glenn's 12 points and five rebounds led South Carolina Upstate (5-4), which had its three-game winning streak snapped as it fell to 1-4 on on the road. The Spartans committed 22 turnovers to only seven for the Bearcats.

After shooting only 35.7 percent from the field in the first half, the Bearcats opened the second half with a 25-5 run, including 21 straight to go ahead 63-39. The Spartans, who shot 50 percent from the floor in the first half, went 8:45 without a field goal in the second half where they were outscored 43-16.

The Bearcats hit only three two-point field goals in the first half against the Spartans' stingy defense and were outscored in the paint, 22-6. South Carolina Upstate fell behind early 26-13 but held Cincinnati without a field goal for five minutes and tied it at 32-all on Mario Blessing's trey before the Bearcats outscored the Spartans 11-2 over the final 3:12 for a 43-34 lead at the intermission, thanks to seven 3-pointers.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Kilpatrick moved from 13th place into 11th place in all-time scoring at Cincinnati as he scored 20 or more points for the fifth time on the season. ... The Bearcats were 27-of-34 from the foul line. ... The game was the 400th at Cincinnati’s Fifth Third Arena.