USC Upstate Spartans vs Youngstown State Penguins Matchup

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

Youngstown State vs USC Upstate Prediction

Betting on today's Penguins and Spartans game? Catch the action at Hodge Center in Spartanburg, SC, as the Spartans hosts this showdown at 1:00 ET on ESPN+. Youngstown State is favored by -8.5 in this non-conference showdown. The game's over/under is currently at 150.5 points.

Youngstown State vs. USC Upstate Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Youngstown State Penguins at USC Upstate Spartans
Where: Spartanburg at Hodge Center
Date: Saturday, December 21st
Betting Odds YNGST -8.5, YNGST -383 | SCUP +296 O/U 150.5

Penguins Preview: Will Youngstown State Win on the Road?

Youngstown State Penguins Recent Game/Games

Youngstown State improved to 6-5 on the season with an 80-70 road win over Wright State on Wednesday. The Penguins, who were +7 underdogs, not only pulled off the upset but also covered the spread.

After trailing 40-35 at halftime, Youngstown State clamped down defensively, allowing just 30 points in the 2nd half while scoring 45. The total points for the game reached 150, going over the pre-game line of 143.5.

Penguins Offense Breakdown

Youngstown State put up 80 points in their latest game, shooting 44.4% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 52.4%. They connected on 54.5% of their two-point attempts and went 10-for-30 from beyond the arc, hitting 33.3% of their three-point shots. At the free-throw line, they shot 66.7%, making 14 of 21 attempts.

Jack Doumbia led the Penguins with 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Ty Harper added 16 points, hitting 3 of 6 from three-point range. Alex Huibregtse and Jason Nelson each contributed 15 points, with Nelson also dishing out 4 assists. Youngstown State finished with 13 assists and 10 offensive rebounds as a team.

Penguins Team Defense

Youngstown State's defense gave up 70 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 47% from the field. They allowed 51% shooting on two-point attempts, as the other team went 16/31 inside the arc.

From three-point range, the opposition hit 41% of their shots, going 10/24. Youngstown State sent them to the free-throw line 15 times, where they converted 8 attempts, shooting 53%. The Penguins also allowed 7 offensive rebounds.

Spartans Preview: Will USC Upstate Come Through as Home Underdogs?

The Spartans dropped to 1-10 on the season after an 85-70 loss to South Carolina State on Wednesday. Despite being just +2.5 point underdogs, USC Upstate failed to cover the spread in this home game.

USC Upstate trailed 40-34 at halftime and allowed 45 points in the 2nd half while scoring 36. The total points for the game were 155, slightly over the O/U line of 153.5.

Spartans Offense Breakdown

USC Upstate's offense put up 70 points in their last game, shooting 43.8% from the field. They struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 3 of 13 attempts for a 23.1% three-point percentage, leading to an effective field goal percentage of 45.8%.

At the free-throw line, the Spartans went 25 for 41, shooting 61%. Carmelo Adkins led the team with 21 points, while Mister Dean added 17. The team dished out 14 assists, with Mitchell Taylor contributing 4 assists and 5 rebounds.

Spartans Team Defense

USC Upstate's defense gave up 85 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 43% from the field. They allowed 51% shooting on two-point attempts, with the other team hitting 18 of 35 shots.

From beyond the arc, USC Upstate held their opponent to 23% shooting, as they made just 3 of 13 three-point attempts. However, they sent the other team to the line 41 times, where they converted 25 free throws (61%). The Spartans also allowed 9 offensive rebounds.

Penguins vs Spartans Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Youngstown State has played well in their previous three road games, going 2-1 straight up. In this stretch, they averaged 69 points per game while allowing 64. The team also performed well vs the spread at 2-1.
Through their last ten home contests, the Spartans offense has averaged 71 points per game while allowing an average of 85. USC Upstate posted an overall record of 2-8 while going 6-4 ATS.
The last ten games that USC Upstate was the underdog, they have an ATS mark of 5-5 while going 1-9 straight up.
Youngstown State has done well both straight up and vs the spread when favored to win the game, going 3-2 SU and 3-2 ATS in their last five games.