SPARTANBURG, S.C. – After facing the teams sitting one and two in the Big South in its last two games, USC Upstate men's basketball completes the trifecta Saturday, hosting third-place Gardner-Webb as part of a men's and women's basketball Homecoming doubleheader at the G.B. Hodge Center.
Saturday's Matchup
February 17, 2024 | 4:30 p.m. ET
USC Upstate (9-16; 4-8 Big South) vs. Gardner-Webb (12-14; 7-4 Big South)
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: Mondays at 4:15 p.m. live from Sugar-n-Spice (212 S. Pine St., Spartanburg) with Coach Dick Cox; Tuesdays at 4:20 p.m. with the voice of Spartans, Ryan Clary, on Fox Sports Spartanburg 98.3 FM
How They Stack Up
Records: USC Upstate (9-16; 4-8 Big South); Gardner-Webb (12-14; 7-4 Big South)
Series: Gardner-Webb leads 9-6
Last Five Meetings: Jan. 27, 2024 (GWU 75; UPST 70); March 3, 2023 (UPST77; GWU 76); Feb. 25, 2023 (UPST 75; GWU 69); Jan. 25, 2023 (GWU 78; UPST 66); Feb. 26, 2022 (UPST 72; GWU 70)
First Meeting This Season
In the season's first meeting between Upstate and Gardner-Webb, the Spartans attempted a second-half comeback as they erased a 12-point deficit to put themselves in a position to win in the final minutes of the Jan. 27 meeting. Scoring 11 of his points in the second half, sophomore guard
Justin Bailey led Upstate with 16 points in a 75-70 setback while graduate student guard
Nick Alves joined him in double-figures with 11 markers.
Players to Watch
USC Upstate: Coming off the bench for the Spartans and scoring 17 of his game-high 22 points in the second half and overtime, graduate student guard
Miguel Ayesa propelled Upstate to a huge road win Wednesday at High Point, knocking down six threes. Of his six three-pointers—the most in a game by a Spartan since March 5, 2022—two came in the final minute of regulation to send the game to overtime before hitting two more in the extra period to lead Upstate to the victory. On the season, he's shooting 39.3 percent from beyond the arc as he averages 8.0 points per game.
Gardner-Webb: Averaging 14.0 points per game on the season, senior guard Caleb Robinson represents the Runnin' Bulldogs' leading scorer and tied for the team scoring lead with 17 points in a win over Charleston Southern Wednesday. His latest double-figure scoring effort marked his 11
th consecutive double-figure scoring contest and his 21
st double-figure scoring game of the season. He also averages 6.4 rebounds per game, leading Gardner-Webb in the category.
Last Time Out
February 14, 2024:
USC Upstate 86; High Point 81 [OT]
February 14, 2024:
Gardner-Webb 85; Charleston Southern 77
Up Next for the Spartans
Coming off Homecoming Saturday, Upstate continues its longest homestand during Big South play, returning to the G.B. Hodge Center Wednesday. The Spartans host Charleston Southern for a 7 p.m. ET tip to close the backend of the homestand.
Parking alert for Homecoming Basketball Doubleheader on February 17
Fans attending the Homecoming basketball doubleheader on Saturday, February 17, please note the updates for parking and ticketing for the event including the conversion of all parking lots on campus (west of the arboretum) to paid parking. For more details visit upstatespartans.com.
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