University of South Carolina Upstate Athletics
SC State
11/4/2026 10:01:00 AM | Men's Basketball
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The USC Upstate men's basketball team returns to Spartanburg for its 2026-27 home opener Friday evening as the Spartans welcome in-state foe South Carolina State to the G.B. Hodge Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., with the contest streaming live on ESPN+.
The Spartans enter Friday's matchup looking to secure their first victory of the season after opening the campaign on the road against East Carolina. Upstate will also look to continue its success against the Bulldogs, having won five of the six previous meetings between the programs, including a 78-72 victory last season.
MATCH INFORMATION
Matchup: USC Upstate (0-1) vs. South Carolina State (1-0)
Date: Friday, November 6, 2026
Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
Location: Spartanburg, S.C.
Venue: G.B. Hodge Center
Watch: ESPN+ |Â https://tinyurl.com/7b44j276
Tickets: UpstateSpartans.com/Tickets
Live Stats:Â https://tinyurl.com/mt64ady4
PROMOTION
Friday's home opener will feature a special collaboration between USC Upstate Athletics and the USC Upstate Campus Recreation Center, bringing additional excitement to the G.B. Hodge Center. Fans can enjoy a halftime three-point contest featuring members of the USC Upstate Club Basketball team as they showcase their shooting skills on the court. Additionally, the first 100 USC Upstate students in attendance will receive free food as the Spartans tip off their home schedule. Students are encouraged to arrive early, pack the Hodge and help create an electric atmosphere as Upstate takes on South Carolina State!
A LOOK AT THE SPARTANS
USC Upstate enters Friday's home opener following an 83-70 setback against East Carolina on Monday evening. Despite the loss, the Spartans displayed several promising offensive performances, placing four players in double figures while shooting 49.2 percent from the field.
Jalyn Patterson led the way offensively, scoring a team-high 16 points off the bench while connecting on four three-pointers. Ries Naugle followed with 15 points on 6-of-12 shooting, while Miles Webb recorded the team's first double-double of the season with 12 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
Amont'e Allen-Johnson helped direct the Spartan offense, distributing a team-high seven assists while adding six points. Derek Edmond also made an impact off the bench, contributing six points, three assists and three steals.
As a team, Upstate recorded 19 assists on 29 made field goals while holding a 40-20 advantage in points in the paint. The Spartans also outscored the Pirates 13-11 in second-chance points and finished even on the glass with 31 rebounds apiece.
Upstate will look to build upon its offensive efficiency while limiting turnovers after committing 20 in the season opener.
SCOUTING SOUTH CAROLINA STATE
South Carolina State enters Friday's contest with a 1-0 record after opening its 2026-27 campaign with a dominant 94-55 victory over Morris College on Monday afternoon.
Under head coach Erik Martin, the Bulldogs showcased a balanced offensive attack in their season opener, with 12 players contributing to the scoring column. Christian Barnes led the team with 12 points, connecting on four three-pointers, while Jayden Pretty added 10 points and seven rebounds.
South Carolina State shot 45.0 percent from the field against Morris College while dominating the interior, scoring 56 points in the paint. The Bulldogs also held a commanding 43-24 advantage on the glass, including 22 offensive rebounds that helped produce 30 second-chance points.
Defensively, the Bulldogs forced 29 turnovers and recorded 16 steals, converting those opportunities into 40 points. South Carolina State also received significant contributions from its reserves, with the bench accounting for 57 of the team's 94 points.
The Bulldogs are coming off a 2025-26 campaign in which they finished 10-22 overall and 7-7 in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play, advancing to the semifinals of the MEAC Tournament.
SERIES HISTORY
Friday's matchup marks the seventh all-time meeting between USC Upstate and South Carolina State, with the Spartans holding a 5-1 advantage in the series.
Upstate claimed the most recent meeting on December 16, 2025, earning a 78-72 victory over the Bulldogs. The Spartans have won three of the last four matchups between the programs, with South Carolina State's lone victory during that stretch coming on December 18, 2024, by a score of 85-70.
The Spartans will look to extend their all-time series advantage to 6-1 while securing their first victory of the 2026-27 season in front of the home crowd.
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