SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Returning to road play after a two-game homestand during Big South Play, USC Upstate Men's Basketball hits the hardwood for the Ingles I-26 Rivalry at UNC Asheville Wednesday at 6:30 P.M. The Spartans enter the matchup with a meeting against the Bulldogs who have won the last two out of three games in Big South play.
Wednesday's Matchup
January 15, 2025 | 6:30 p.m ET
USC Upstate (5-13; 1-2 Big South) vs. UNC Asheville (11-6; 2-1 Big South)
Kimmel Arena | Asheville, N.C.
TV: ESPN+ | Via WatchESPN.com or the ESPN App
Radio: Fox Sports Spartanburg 98.3 FM/1400| Also available via the FoxSports Spartanburg or TuneIn App
Weekly Coaches Interviews: Catch head coach Marty Richter twice every week! Tuesdays at 3:20 p.m.: Fox Sports Spartanburg live at Delaney's and Mondays at 4:00 p.m.: "Spartans at the Spice" at Sugar N Spice (Watch).
How They Stack Up
Records: USC Upstate (5-13; 1-2 Big South); UNC Asheville (11-6; 2-1 Big South)
Series: UNC Asheville leads 12-5
Last Five Meetings: Feb. 10, 2024 (AVL 77; UPST 64) ; Jan. 3, 2024 (AVL 95; UPST 67) ; Mar. 4, 2023 (AVL 66; UPST 62) ; Feb. 4, 2023 (UPST 77; AVL 70); Jan. 21, 2023 (AVL 64; UPST 58)
How they Compare
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USC Upstate
|
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UNC Asheville
|
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75.2
|
Scoring Offense
|
85.6
|
|
81.4
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Scoring Defense
|
76.0
|
|
-6.2
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Scoring Margin
|
9.9
|
|
.456
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Field Goal Pct.
|
.487
|
|
.471
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Field Goal Pct. Defense
|
.439
|
|
.296
|
Three-Point FG Pct.
|
.360
|
|
.326
|
Three-Point FG Pct. Defense
|
.306
|
|
.694
|
Free Throw Pct.
|
.702
|
|
35.6
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Rebounds/Game
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36.5
|
|
35.9
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Rebounds Against/Game
|
35.8
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|
-0.3
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Rebounding Margin
|
0.7
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|
12.8
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Assists/Game
|
15.2
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|
14.9
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Turnovers/Game
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10.9
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|
12.4
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Turnovers Forced/Game
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13.8
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|
-2.4
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Turnover Margin
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2.9
|
|
7.3
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Steals/Game
|
7.1
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|
2.4
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Blocks/Game
|
3.9
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Last Times Out
January 11, 2025: Radford 80; USC Upstate 67
January 11, 2025: UNC Asheville 96; Presbyterian 87
Players to Watch
USC Upstate: Carmelo Adkins has begun to find his rhythm on the court where his average jumped back to double figures since December 4, 2024, scoring in double digits four times in that span. Adkins added 12 Points, seven rebounds, three steals and two assists in the matchup against Radford while jumping to 10.6 Points per game. During the stretch from December 4th, Adkins was reinserted in the starting lineup adding his collegiate career high against South Carolina State with 21 Points. Adkins comes into the I-26 Matchup shooting 77% percent from the charity stripe (Seventh in the Big South) while grabbing 4.2 rebounds in Big South Play.
UNC Asheville: Jordan Marsh currently leads the Bulldogs in scoring with 16.4 Points per game which is second overall in the Big South. Marsh scored his season and career high of 30 Points in the conference matchup against Presbyterian. Marsh was named the Big South Conference Player of the Week on January 6, 2025, where he averaged 24.5 points through two games including his then career high of 29 Points against High Point.
Up Next for the Spartans
Continuing road play in the Big South, USC Upstate heads to Gardner-Webb for an evening Saturday showdown. The Spartans and the Running Bulldogs are scheduled to tip-off at 4:00 p.m.
Connect with the Spartans
Facebook.com/UpstateAthletics
Twitter | @UpstateMBB | @UpstateSpartans
Instagram | @Upstate_MBB | @UpstateSpartans
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans
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