If you’ve been following the Spartans this year, you know the vibe around the G.B. Hodge Center is just different under Marty Richter. It’s not just about the wins or the losses; it’s about that "small ball" chaos they’re throwing at teams. Honestly, keeping track of the usc upstate basketball schedule feels like a full-time job lately because the Big South is essentially a nightly fistfight where anybody can beat anybody.
We’re sitting here in mid-January 2026, and the schedule is about to get incredibly spicy. If you haven't cleared your calendar for the Thursday night ESPNU games or the I-26 rivalry matchups, you’re basically doing it wrong.
The January Gauntlet and Beyond
The Spartans just came off a gritty overtime win against Charleston Southern on January 14th, which kinda set the tone for this road stretch. Right now, the focus is squarely on the usc upstate basketball schedule for the remainder of the month.
Tonight, January 17th, they’re up at High Point. That’s a 7:00 PM EST tip-off. High Point is always a tough out at the Qubein Center, and for Upstate, it’s a massive test of whether their defensive willpower—led by Jafeth Martinez and his nearly two blocks per game—can hold up against a high-octane offense.
After that, things head back to Spartanburg. The Ingles I-26 Rivalry is the one everyone circles. UNC Asheville comes to the Hodge on Wednesday, January 21st. It’s a 6:00 PM start, and if you’ve ever been in that gym when the Bulldogs are in town, you know it gets loud enough to rattle the rim.
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Here’s the breakdown of the immediate road ahead for the men's team:
- Jan 17: At High Point (7:00 PM)
- Jan 21: vs. UNC Asheville (6:00 PM) - The I-26 Rivalry
- Jan 24: At Gardner-Webb (2:00 PM)
- Jan 29: vs. Longwood (7:00 PM) - This one is on ESPNU.
That Longwood game is huge. Getting a national TV spot at the Hodge Center doesn't happen every day. It's the perfect chance for guys like Mason Bendinger, who’s been averaging over 15 points a game, to show the rest of the country what Big South basketball is all about.
Why the Women’s Schedule is Just as Crucial
Don't sleep on the women's side of the usc upstate basketball schedule. They are grinding through a tough conference slate too. They actually have a back-to-back situation coming up that could define their seeding for the tournament in March.
On Wednesday, January 21st, they’re traveling to Asheville to take on the Bulldogs at 6:30 PM. It’s a double-header rivalry night for the school, even if the games are in different cities. Then they head up to Farmville to face Longwood on Saturday, January 24th.
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The home games at the G.B. Hodge Center for the women’s team in late January are where the energy is at:
- Jan 28: vs. Radford (7:00 PM)
- Jan 31: vs. Charleston Southern (4:00 PM)
Marty Richter’s System and the Player Rotation
Coach Marty Richter is only in his second season, but you can see the influence of his time at Drake and the "Dunk City" FGCU days. He’s been experimenting with a rotation that features Karmani Gregory, Carmelo Adkins, and Learic Davis.
They play fast.
They play small.
It’s fun to watch, even when it’s stressful.
The emergence of Breylin Garcia as a reliable threat and the shot-blocking presence of Coen Collier (the 7-foot-1 center) gives them a weird, effective hybrid look. When they go "small ball" with Gregory, Adkins, Bendinger, Skinner, and Davis, they tend to force a lot of turnovers. Currently, they're averaging about 6.8 steals per game. That’s a lot of extra possessions that keep them in games they probably shouldn't be in.
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How to Actually Watch the Games
If you can’t make it to Spartanburg or travel to the away sites, most of the usc upstate basketball schedule is living on ESPN+.
You'll need a subscription, obviously, but almost every conference game is streamed there. The outlier is that January 29th men's game against Longwood, which is moving to ESPNU. For the radio crowd, you can usually catch the play-by-play through the official Spartans website or the local Spartanburg feeds.
Looking Toward the Big South Championship
Everything is leading to Johnson City, Tennessee. The Big South Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships are scheduled for March 4–8 at the Freedom Hall Civic Center.
The regular season ends with a home game for the men against Gardner-Webb on February 28th. That’s Senior Day. It’s also going to be the final data point before the seeding is locked in. If they can stay around .500 in conference play, they’ll have a puncher’s chance in the tournament.
What You Should Do Next
- Check the Ticket Office: If you're near Spartanburg, go to the January 21st rivalry game. Single-game tickets for the Hodge Center are usually affordable, but the Asheville game sells out fast.
- Set an Alarm for Jan 29: Mark your calendar for the ESPNU game. It’s a big moment for the program's visibility.
- Follow Live Stats: If you're a nerd for the numbers, the Upstate Spartans official site has a "Live Stats" link for every game on the usc upstate basketball schedule. It’s often faster than the video stream.
The Spartans are currently in the thick of the "January Grind." Whether they can turn these close overtime games into a winning streak will determine if March in Tennessee is a short trip or a deep run.