YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO – Looking to close out non-conference play before the Holidays, Upstate Men's Basketball travels to Ohio for a Saturday afternoon showdown against Youngstown State live on ESPN+. Upstate looks to wrap up non-conference play extending their winning streak to three before returning to the hardwood for New Year's Eve.
Saturday's Matchup
Saturday, December 20| 1:00 P.M. EST
USC Upstate (8-6; 0-0 Big South) vs. Youngstown State (7-5 Horizon League)
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: Youngstown State leads 2-0
Last two matchups: Dec. 21, 2024 (YSU 72; UPST 64); Nov. 23, 2019 (YSU 66; UPST 61)
How they compare
|
USC Upstate
|
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Youngstown State
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79.6
|
Scoring Offense
|
80.4
|
|
70.3
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Scoring Defense
|
69.1
|
|
9.4
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Scoring Margin
|
11.3
|
|
.462
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Field Goal Pct.
|
.475
|
|
.404
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Field Goal Pct. Defense
|
.439
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|
.348
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Three-Point FG Pct.
|
.365
|
|
.307
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Three-Point FG Pct. Defense
|
.290
|
|
.685
|
Free Throw Pct.
|
.728
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|
38.6
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Rebounds/Game
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35.6
|
|
37.1
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Rebounds Against/Game
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32.6
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|
1.4
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Rebounding Margin
|
3.1
|
|
14.5
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Assists/Game
|
15.1
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|
11.6
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Turnovers/Game
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13.5
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|
12.6
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Turnovers Forced/Game
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15.5
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|
0.9
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Turnover Margin
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2.0
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|
7.0
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Steals/Game
|
8.8
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|
4.8
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Blocks/Game
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3.1
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Last times out
December 17, 2025: USC Upstate 98: Southern Wesleyan 63
December 17, 2025: Robert Morris 80: Youngstown State 77
Players to Watch
Upstate: Redshirt Junior Guard, Karmani Gregory continues to show his improvement on the court averaging 14.1 points per game while shooting 40 percent from the field, 29 percent from beyond the arc and 77 percent from the free throw line. Gregory continues to be a threat whether he is the primary guard running the offense or playing off the ball providing a scoring threat from all three levels. Through 14 games played, Gregory has added three 20+ point performances and 12 games in double figures. Karmani Gregory set his sights in preseason on taking his game to another level to help his team win games and will be a player to keep an eye on as he can be a spark to get the Spartans going.
Youngstown State: Senior Forward, Cris Carroll led the Penguins with 31 points in the overtime matchup against Robert Morris shooting 10-for-12 from the field and 6-for-8 from beyond the arc while going 5-for-5 from the free throw line. Morris leads Youngstown State with 15.1 points per game and has scored in double figures through all 12 games played so far. Carroll adds 4.7 rebounds per game with his season-high being eight is shooting 52 percent from the field and 45 percent from cent from the three-point line. Upstate will look to contain the versatile forward in the Saturday matchup.
Up next for the Spartans
Following the road matchup at Youngstown State, Upstate Men's Basketball will have some time to enjoy the holidays and will come back together to open Big South play on New Year's Eve hosting Radford for an afternoon showdown at 2:00 P.M. eastern time live on ESPN+.
Connect with the Spartans
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