South Carolina Gamecocks vs USC Upstate Spartans Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our USC Upstate vs South Carolina NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Columbia.

USC Upstate vs South Carolina Prediction

Looking to win big? The Spartans and Gamecocks face off at 2:00 ET on SEC. The Gamecocks are hosting the game at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, SC. The odds for this non-conference game currently have South Carolina as the -26.5 favorite, with the over/under line sitting at 149 points.

USC Upstate vs. South Carolina Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: USC Upstate Spartans at South Carolina Gamecocks
Where: Columbia at Colonial Life Arena
Date: Saturday, December 14th
Betting Odds SC -26.5, SCUP +3500 | SC -20000 O/U 149

Spartans Preview: Will the Spartans Make it Happen in Columbia?

USC Upstate picked up their first win of the season on Saturday, defeating Western Carolina 74-68 on the road. The Spartans were +8.5 point underdogs going into the game, and not only did they pull off the upset, but they also covered the spread. The total points for the game were 142, which fell under the over/under line of 161.5.

USC Upstate turned things around in the second half after trailing 37-31 at halftime. They outscored Western Carolina 43-31 in the final 20 minutes to secure the win.

Spartans Offense Breakdown

USC Upstate's offense put up 74 points in their last game, shooting 50% from the field. Their two-point shooting was impressive, hitting 60% (24/40), while they struggled from beyond the arc, connecting on just 25% (4/16) of their threes.

They also shot 63.6% from the free-throw line, making 14 of 22 attempts. The Spartans dished out 14 assists, with Karmani Gregory leading the way with 6, despite shooting 30.8% overall and missing all 3 of his three-point attempts.

Spartans Team Defense

USC Upstate's defense gave up 68 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 44% from the field. They allowed 57% shooting on two-point attempts, as the other team connected on 15 of 26 shots inside the arc.

From three-point range, the opponent went 9 for 28, shooting 32%. USC Upstate also sent them to the free-throw line 16 times, where they made 11 free throws, hitting 68%. On the boards, the Spartans allowed 7 offensive rebounds.

Gamecocks Preview: Is A Home Victory Likely for the Favored Gamecocks?

South Carolina improved to 6-3 on the season with a 75-68 win over East Carolina on Saturday. Despite being -10.5 favorites at home, the Gamecocks didn’t cover the spread.

They trailed 32-27 at halftime but turned things around by scoring 48 points in the 2nd half while allowing 36. The combined points of 143 went over the O/U line of 135.5.

Gamecocks Offense Breakdown

South Carolina's offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, shooting 54% from the field and 52.2% from three-point range, connecting on 12 of 23 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 66%, aided by their strong outside shooting.

Jamarii Thomas hit 5 of 8 threes, finishing with 22 points and 7 assists, while Collin Murray-Boyles was a perfect 10 for 10 from the field, adding 20 points and 10 rebounds. The Gamecocks also dished out 19 assists in the win.

Gamecocks Team Defense

South Carolina's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 68 points on 54% shooting from the field. The Gamecocks allowed 27 made field goals on 50 attempts.

From beyond the arc, South Carolina's defense allowed 12 threes on 23 attempts, as the opposing team shot 52% from three-point range.

Spartans vs Gamecocks Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Through their last three road contests, the Spartans offense has averaged 67 points per game while allowing an average of 83. USC Upstate posted an overall record of 1-2 while going 1-2 ATS.
In their last five home games, South Carolina has averaged 72 points per game while allowing 76. The team's record in this stretch was 3-2 while going 3-2 vs. the spread.
Looking back on the team's last five games as the underdog, the Spartans have a straight up record of 1-4. Their record vs the spread in these games was 1-4.
In their last three games as the betting favorite, the Gamecocks have a strong straight up record of 3-0. In addition, their ATS record was 2-1 in these scenarios.