Charleston Southern University’s men’s basketball team is set to play two consecutive away games during the sixth week of conference play. The Buccaneers will face High Point on February 4 and USC Upstate on February 7.
The upcoming matchup against High Point marks game number 24 for CSU this season. The Panthers, who were picked as preseason favorites to win the Big South Conference, previously defeated Charleston Southern in an overtime contest at the Buc Dome on January 10. Despite losing by only two points, CSU saw High Point attempt 25 more free throws than them.
High Point currently leads the conference in efficiency and ranks among national leaders with a scoring offense averaging 91.5 points per game (fourth nationally) and a field goal percentage of 50.6% (16th nationally). Defensively, they are fourth in the nation for turnovers forced per game at 16.6.
Owen Aquino represented High Point at Big South Media Day. While his offensive statistics have not been as high as anticipated, he remains a key defensive player with an average of 1.6 blocks per game, ranking third in the Big South.
Cam’ron Fletcher has drawn attention this season for the Panthers despite playing only two conference games. He was named to the Lou Henson Early Season Watchlist, one of just two Big South players selected; CSU’s Brycen Blaine is also on that list. Fletcher averages 15.8 points and nearly eight rebounds per game, including five performances with over twenty points.
Rob Martin transferred from Southeast Missouri State to become High Point’s point guard and is currently their third-leading scorer with an average of 14.1 points per game.
Terry Anderson, returning from last season’s championship roster, has emerged as High Point’s top scorer during league play with an even average of twenty points per contest and four games scoring above twenty points.
Flynn Clayman leads High Point as head coach in his first year at the Division I level after serving as associate head coach and offensive coordinator for the past two seasons.
High Point holds a historical advantage over Charleston Southern in their series with a record of 29 wins to CSU’s 22.
Following that match-up, Charleston Southern will travel to USC Upstate for game number twenty-five on February 7.
USC Upstate relies on its perimeter trio—Mason Bendinger (15.0 ppg), Karmani Gregory (13.1 ppg), and Carmelo Adkins (13.1 ppg)—to lead its scoring efforts through conference play so far this season. Bendinger scored thirty-three total points across Upstate’s first two conference games; one of his two performances exceeding twenty points came during an overtime win at Charleston Southern on January 14.
Guard Learic Davis contributed twenty-two points off the bench during that earlier meeting between CSU and Upstate by shooting eight-of-eleven from the field.
Gregory represented USC Upstate at Big South Media Day and has posted five games with more than twenty points this season; most recently he scored twenty-two against Gardner-Webb on January 23.
Head Coach Marty Richter is now in his second year leading USC Upstate’s program and has already surpassed last year’s win total of six victories early into this campaign.
Charleston Southern leads its all-time series against USC Upstate fourteen wins to eight.
