SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The USC Upstate men's basketball team will travel down I-26 tomorrow afternoon as they tip-off the 2019-2020 basketball season at 7 p.m. against the College of Charleston.
 
In just his second season at the helm of the USC Upstate program head coach Dave Dickerson returns a youthful bunch to the Hub City. This season 13 out of 15 players are either of freshman or sophomore standing. Thomas Booker and Andrew Tate are the lone upperclassmen on the Spartans squad coming into the 2019-2020 season.
 
"In year one I noticed that the Big South Conference is a very competitive conference," Dickerson said. "In order for us to get better we have to work on our defense and work on our transition game to be more dynamic."
 
A few players to keep an eye on this season are Everette Hammond, Nevin Zink and Bryson Mozone. Hammond returns as the Spartans leading scorer and had eight games where he reached double-figures in the scoring column. The Maryland native began his career with three straight games in double-figures and had a career high 20 points against Campbell last season.
 
Zink once again looks to be a force in the front court for the Spartans this season. The 6'9 center out of Newton, Conn., started in 30 games as a freshman for the Spartans and had a career high 18 points against Gardner-Webb last season. Zink also recorded a career high 13 rebounds against UNC Asheville late in the season.
 
Mozone is making his return to the lineup after being injured three games into the Big South season last year. Mozone dropped a career high 22 points against Cal Poly, he also made a career high six three-pointers against the Mustangs.
 
USC Upstate and the College of Charleston have only met one time in the division I era with the Cougars taking the lone game 72-60. That night Michael Buchanan scored 21 points and had six rebounds off the bench for the Spartans and missed just two shots the whole night. On the College of Charleston side Joe Chealey led a trio of double-digit scorers with 17 points on the night. Jarrell Brantley recorded a double-double against the Spartans with 11 points and 11 rebounds in the match.
 
Last season the Cougars went 24-9 and 12-6 in Colonel Conference action. The College of Charleston defeated Presbyterian 85-73 last season in their home opener. The Blue Hose were the only Big South opponent the Cougars faced all season.
 
One player that the Spartans will need to look out for is preseason Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year Grant Riller. Riller has made the Mid-Major All-American team the past two seasons after averaging 18 and 21 points per game. Last season Riddler averaged 35 minutes a contest and made 53 percent of his shots from the field.
 
USC Upstate and the College of Charleston will square off at 7 p.m. tomorrow night from TD Arena in Charleston, S.C. Tickets and live links to the event can be found online at www.upstatespartans.com. Men's basketball season tickets and individual game tickets can also be found on our website.
 
Follow USC Upstate men's basketball on Facebook (UpstateAthletics), Twitter (@UpstateMB), Instagram (@upstatespartans) and YouTube (USCUpstateAthletics).