USC Upstate Spartans vs Winthrop Eagles NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/2/25

Looking to win big? The Spartans and Eagles face off at 4:00 ET on ESPN+. The Eagles are hosting the game at Winthrop Coliseum in Rock Hill, SC. The odds for this Big South conference game currently have Winthrop as the -15.5 point favorite with the over/under line sitting at 165.5 points.

USC UPSTATE SPARTANS VS WINTHROP EAGLES BETTING PICK

The Pick: USC Upstate Spartans +15.5

This game will be played at Winthrop Coliseum at 4:00 ET on Thursday, January 2nd.

WHY BET THE USC UPSTATE SPARTANS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-70 in favor of the Eagles.
• Even though we have Winthrop winning straight-up, we like USC Upstate at +15.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 165.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 146 points.

Can USC Upstate Grab a Win on the Road?

USC Upstate fell to 1-11 on the season after a 72-64 home loss to Youngstown State on Saturday. The Spartans entered the game as +7.5 point underdogs and didn’t cover the spread.

USC Upstate trailed 27-23 at halftime but allowed 45 points in the 2nd half while scoring 41. The game’s total points of 136 fell short of the 150.5 O/U line.

USC Upstate struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 35.8% from the field and hitting only 1 of 18 three-point attempts for a 5.6% success rate. Their effective field goal percentage matched their overall shooting percentage at 35.8%, though they did manage to convert 78.9% of their free throws, going 15 for 19 from the line.

Mister Dean led the Spartans with 23 points and 7 rebounds, shooting 53.3% from the field. Nico Galette added 20 points, hitting 42.9% of his threes, while Breylin Garcia contributed 16 points on 77.8% shooting. USC Upstate also grabbed 11 offensive rebounds and dished out 13 assists as a team.

Despite giving up 72 points, USC Upstate’s defense held their opponent to just 35% shooting from the field, including a dismal 5% from three-point range, where they hit only 1 of 18 attempts.

Inside the arc, the opposing team shot 46% on two-pointers, going 23/49. USC Upstate also sent them to the free-throw line 19 times, where they converted 15 free throws for 78%. The Spartans allowed 11 offensive rebounds.

Can Winthrop Pull Out the Win as Home Favorites?

Winthrop Eagles Recent Game/Games

Winthrop fell to 7-5 on the season after a 77-68 road loss to Indiana on Sunday. The Eagles entered the game as +16 point underdogs but managed to keep it closer than expected.

Winthrop trailed 41-37 at halftime and scored 31 points in the 2nd half while allowing 36. The game’s total points of 145 fell short of the 163.5 O/U line.

Winthrop’s offense struggled in their last game, shooting just 37.5% from the field and 26.1% from three-point range. Their effective field goal percentage was 42.2%, and they managed only 8 assists as a team.

Myles Rice led the Eagles with 18 points, while Malik Reneau, K.J. Doucet, and Kasen Harrison each added 14. Doucet also pulled down 12 rebounds, and Trey Galloway contributed 11 points and 5 assists.

Even with Winthrop’s defense giving up 77 points, they managed to limit the damage from beyond the arc, holding their opponent to just 1 three-pointer on 20 attempts, a 5% shooting performance.

Inside the arc, though, Winthrop struggled, allowing 29 two-point baskets on 46 attempts, a 63% shooting rate. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 26 times, where they hit 18 free throws (69%).