SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Returning to the home non-conference play with a busy slate at the G.B. Hodge Center, Upstate Men's Basketball takes the court hosting NC Central as part of the second half of the doubleheader at 7:00 P.M. Eastern time.
Tuesday's Matchup
Tuesday, November 25 | 7:00 P.M. EST
USC Upstate (3-4; 0-0 Big South) vs. North Carolina Central (2-5; 0-0 MEAC)
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 every week! Tuesdays at 3:40 p.m. at Fox Sports Spartanburg.
How they stack up
Series: NC Central leads 2-1
Last Three Matchups: Dec. 2, 2023 (UPST 85; NCCU 82); Dec. 1, 2021 (NCCU 67; UPST 65); Nov. 11, 2019 (NCCU 73; UPST 64)
How they Compare
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USC Upstate
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NC Central
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81.3
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Scoring Offense
|
70.0
|
|
69.3
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Scoring Defense
|
81.4
|
|
12.0
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Scoring Margin
|
-11.4
|
|
.468
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Field Goal Pct.
|
.463
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|
.417
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Field Goal Pct. Defense
|
.463
|
|
.325
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Three-Point FG Pct.
|
.365
|
|
.277
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Three-Point FG Pct. Defense
|
.363
|
|
.682
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Free Throw Pct.
|
.753
|
|
38.4
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Rebounds/Game
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33.4
|
|
38.0
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Rebounds Against/Game
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40.9
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|
0.4
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Rebounding Margin
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-7.4
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|
14.0
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Assists/Game
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14.7
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|
12.0
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Turnovers/Game
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12.7
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|
14.7
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Turnovers Forced/Game
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13.7
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|
2.7
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Turnover Margin
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1.0
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|
8.3
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Steals/Game
|
8.1
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|
4.9
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Blocks/Game
|
2.9
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Last times out
November 21, 2025: West Georgia 72: USC Upstate 64
November 22, 2025: Dayton 74: NC Central 55
Players to Watch
USC Upstate: Junior Forward, Jafeth Martinez has continued to grow on the Division I level as he leads Upstate and the Big South with 1.9 blocks per game, being the only Spartan with double-digit blocks total (13) through seven games. In Martinez's last game, he played a season high of 32 minutes, added six points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and added four blocks. Martinez currently is ranked top-50 in the NCAA through two categories being blocks (27th) and blocks per game (45th). As Martinez continues to grow in his first season at Upstate, he looks to provide a paint presence for the Spartans in their home matchup against the Eagles.
NC Central: Sophomore Guard, Gage Lattimore currently leads NC Central with 20.3 points per game with his season high being 38 points against Bluefield State on November 12, 2025. Lattimore is ranked #46 in the NCAA his points per game total, while shooting 40 percent from the field ,51 percent from beyond the arc, and 100 percent from the charity stripe. The Spartans looks to display their best defensive outing against a scorer who has scored in double figures in all seven games played.
Up next for the Spartans
Following the home game against NC Central, Upstate Men's Basketball travels to Lincoln, Nebraska taking on BIG10 Opponent, University of Nebraska-Lincoln for a Saturday afternoon matchup at 2:00 P.M. Eastern time.
Connect with the Spartans
Facebook.com/UpstateAthletics
Twitter | @UpstateMBB | @UpstateSpartans
Instagram | @Upstate_MBB | @UpstateSpartans
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans
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