| MATCHUP | USC Upstate Spartans | High Point Panthers |
|---|---|---|
| Team Records | 9-10 | 16-4 |
| Where | Qubein Center, High Point, NC | |
| When | Saturday, January 17, 2026 | |
| Time | 07:00 PM EST | |
| TV | ESPN+ | |
The South Carolina Upstate Spartans and the High Point Panthers meet Saturday in college basketball action from Qubein Center. Here’s a USC Upstate vs High Point prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best USC Upstate vs High Point pick. We will examine the recent form and player performances for both teams, as well as the recent betting trends and streaks pertaining to this matchup. As we conclude, we will tie it all together with a summary that produces a sensible pick for a favorable betting outcome in this game.
USC Upstate Spartans Betting Preview
The Spartans limped to a 4-5 record in their first nine outings this year, falling to Cal Baptist, UNC Wilmington, Tennessee Tech and West Georgia in that time. USC Upstate would win five of the next seven games, but then hit a losing streak versus Youngstown State, Radford, Presbyterian and Winthrop. After a win over Charleston Southern the Spartans have a 9-10 record over their first 19 outings.
In the Charleston Southern road matchup on Wednesday the Spartans were sitting on a 41-35 deficit in the locker room. USC Upstate tied it up in the second half and forced overtime, where they eventually won a thriller 86-81. Mason Bendinger had 22 points and five boards, while Learn Davis added 22 points with eight rebounds in 30 minutes of work for the Spartans in the victory effort.
High Point Panthers Betting Preview
Over on the High Point side, they went a solid 8-3 over their first 11 games, losing to only UAB, Southern Illinois and App State. After wins over Mary Baldwin, La Salle, Bryant, Pfeiffer, UNC Asheville, Longwood, Gardner-Webb and Charleston Southern, the Panthers lost to Winthrop, giving the team a 16-4 record this year.
Matched up against Winthrop this week, the Panthers were in the locker room with a 53-29 deficit. High Point got better from there on a 46-39 advantage but it wasn’t nearly enough in a 92-75 road loss. Logan Duncomb topped the team with 28 points, six rebounds and four assists. Kody Clouet added 14 points and Tommy Kamarad had 17 points with seven rebounds in the defeat.
USC Upstate Spartans @ High Point Panthers Betting Trends: January 17, 2026
Why the High Point Panthers will win
- High Point has won each of its last 10 games against the Big South Conference at Qubein Center.
- USC Upstate has lost 17 of its last 19 games against Conference opponents.
- USC Upstate has lost the first half in each of its last seven games against the Big South Conference.
Why the USC Upstate Spartans will win
- USC Upstate has won each of its last five night games against non-AP-ranked opponents.
USC Upstate vs High Point Prediction
I’ll stay with High Point. The Panthers need a good bounce-back here after a pretty rough road loss to a decent Winthrop team. High Point shot just 39.3 percent from the field (compared to the Eagles’ 53.6 percent) with a 33-29 rebounding deficit and a 38-32 disadvantage on points in the paint. The Panthers are still 8-1 in their last nine games though, scoring 80 or more points in each of the wins—and 75 or more in all nine outings.
As for USC Upstate, they pulled off a solid overtime road win versus Charleston Southern this week thanks to a 48-38 advantage in the paint and a 39-36 edge on the boards. The Spartans shot a tepid 64 percent (16-of-25) from the line though, and had just six team assists along the way. The victory halted a four-game skid, but USC Upstate has still surrendered 71 or more points in five straight games.