SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Entering the weekend, Upstate Men's Basketball travels to High Point, North Carolina for their second road game of the week where the Spartans look to end the week 2-0 with a Saturday night showdown against High Point at 7:00 P.M. Eastern live on ESPN+.
Saturday's Matchup
Saturday, January 17| 7:00 P.M. EST
USC Upstate (9-10; 1-3 Big South) vs. High Point (16-4; 4-1 Big South)
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! Mondays at 4:30 P.M.: "Spartans at the Spice" at Sugar N Spice (Watch) and Tuesdays at 3:40 p.m. at Fox Sports Spartanburg.
How they stack up
High Point leads 9-5
Last Five Meetings: Feb. 26, 2025 (HPU 88; UPST 66); Jan. 22, 2025 (HPU 86; UPST 77); Feb. 14, 2024 (UPST 86; HPU 81); Jan. 24, 2024 (HPU 78; UPST 67); Feb. 18, 2023 (HPU 81; UPST 66)
How they compare
|
USC Upstate
|
|
High Point
|
|
76.9
|
Scoring Offense
|
93.0
|
|
72.2
|
Scoring Defense
|
69.7
|
|
4.7
|
Scoring Margin
|
23.3
|
|
.450
|
Field Goal Pct.
|
.512
|
|
.417
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Field Goal Pct. Defense
|
.426
|
|
.342
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Three-Point FG Pct.
|
.372
|
|
.318
|
Three-Point FG Pct. Defense
|
.320
|
|
.686
|
Free Throw Pct.
|
.726
|
|
37.7
|
Rebounds/Game
|
37.1
|
|
37.7
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Rebounds Against/Game
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32.9
|
|
0.0
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Rebounding Margin
|
4.2
|
|
12.9
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Assists/Game
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17.4
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|
11.9
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Turnovers/Game
|
9.5
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|
12.4
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Turnovers Forced/Game
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16.6
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|
0.5
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Turnover Margin
|
7.1
|
|
6.5
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Steals/Game
|
11.0
|
|
4.6
|
Blocks/Game
|
3.6
|
Last times out
January 14, 2026: USC Upstate 86; Charleston Southern 81
January 14, 2026: Winthrop 92; High Point 75
Players to Watch
USC Upstate: Junior Guard, Mason Bendinger continues growing within the Marty Richter system, leading the Spartans with 15.4 points per game. Through 19 games played, Bendinger has scored in double figures 16 of the 19 games while also scoring 20+ points through four games on the year. In the matchup against Charleston Southern, Bendinger led with 22 points while shooting 11-for-23 from the field marking a new season high. As the Spartans continue to attribute to getting into the fight on the boards, Bendinger averages 3.0 rebounds with his last performance being five rebounds. As Upstate continues to lean on their identity in Big South play, Mason Bendinger has continued to grow his game at the Division I level where he is ranked #40 in the NCAA with 117 field goals made on the year. The Spartans will look to lean on Bendinger in the Saturday night game at High Point.
High Point: Senior Guard, Rob Martin has consistently played his role for the Panthers through 20 games, being ranked second on the team scoring with 14.1 points per game. Martin is shooting 44 percent from the field along with a 38 percent clip from the three-point line and 78 percent from the charity stripe. Martin has been on a seven-game streak of knocking down one or more triples a game. Rob Martin adds 2.1 rebounds a game, 3.7 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. The Spartans will look to neutralize the versatility of Rob Martin in Saturday's showdown.
Up next for the Spartans
Following the two-game roadstand, Upstate Men's Basketball returns to Hub City for a Tuesday night Ingles I-26 Rivalry battle hosting UNC Asheville at 6:00 P.M. Eastern time live on ESPN+ at the G.B. Hodge Center.
Connect with the Spartans
Facebook.com/UpstateAthletics
Twitter | @UpstateMBB | @UpstateSpartans
Instagram | @Upstate_MBB | @UpstateSpartans
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans
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