Men's Basketball Returns to the Hodge for the First Time, Hosting Carolina University Sunday

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Returning home to the G.B. Hodge Center for the first time this season, USC Upstate continues its streak of games against first-time opponents in the team's home opener, hosting Carolina University on Sunday afternoon. The home opener comes on the heels of two consecutive road games to start the season against Southeastern Conference foes.

Sunday's Matchup
November 12, 2023 | 4:00 p.m. ET
USC Upstate (0-2; 0-0 Big South) vs. Carolina University (1-5; 0-2 NCCAA)
G.B. Hodge Center | Spartanburg, S.C.

TV: ESPN+ | Via WatchESPN.com or the ESPN App
Radio: Fox Sports Spartanburg 98.3 FM/1400 AM | Also available via the Fox Sports Spartanburg or TuneIn App
Weekly Coaches Interview: Catch head coach Dave Dickerson weekly on Fox Sports Spartanburg every Tuesday at 4:20 p.m. ET.

How They Stack Up
Records: USC Upstate (0-2; 0-0 Big South); Carolina University (1-5; 0-2 NCCAA)
Series: First Meeting
Last Five Meetings: First Meeting

Players to Watch
USC Upstate: Finishing 6-of-8 from the floor and 5-of-7 from three against Vanderbilt, graduate student guard Miguel Ayesa dropped a season-best 17 points for the Spartans Friday night. He became the first Spartan since Dec. 31, 2022—Upstate's Big South opener a season ago—to hit five or more threes in a game, doing so for the fifth time in his career. He enters Sunday's game shooting 61.5 percent from the field and 54.5 percent from three this season as he averages 11.0 points per game this season.

Carolina: Scoring 17 points versus West Virginia Tech Friday, sophomore guard Cameron Parker notched his fourth double-figure scoring game of the season with each seeing him score 17 or more points, including a season-best 20 points against Mid-Atlantic Christian on Nov. 4. He enters the weekend averaging 13.5 points per game while shooting 42.2 percent from the floor and 32.5 percent from beyond the arc.

Last Time Out
November 10, 2023: Vanderbilt 74; USC Upstate 67

Up Next for the Spartans
Coming off the team's home opener, Upstate returns to the road, beginning a three-game road swing Wednesday afternoon. The Spartans open the road trip at East Carolina with tip-off slated for 7:00 p.m. ET from Greenville, N.C.

Support the Spartans
USC Upstate returns to the G.B. Hodge Center on Sunday, November 12 to take on Carolina at 4 p.m. ET. Tickets for all USC Upstate men's and women's basketball games are on sale now with tickets beginning at just $8! To order log into upstatespartans.com/tickets.

Get Your Gear
The USC Upstate Bookstore Hodge Center Shop is open for Sunday's game! Gear up with your Spartan gear at the Hodge Center shop located in the lobby of the Arena and for the full selection of USC Upstate merchandise stop by the USC Upstate Bookstore on North Campus Blvd. Monday-Friday during normal business hours.

Gameday Parking
Fans attending USC Upstate basketball games in the coming weeks will notice a change in parking options. Parking for the general public will only be available in front of the Hodge Center as the rows adjacent to the building on the University Way side are closed due to renovation work to the Hodge Center roof. VIP parking for donors entering the Champions Suite behind the Arena is unaffected. Parking is free for all USC Upstate basketball games and the closure of the side lots around the building will be in effect indefinitely.

Connect with the Spartans
Facebook.com/UpstateAthletics
Twitter | @UpstateMBB | @UpstateSpartans
Instagram | @UpstateMBB | @UpstateSpartans
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Miguel Ayesa

Footer