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Posted at 9:00 AM EST. Odds are subject to change.

PRESBYTERIAN -1.5 over USC Upstate

Templeton Center – Clinton, SC

2:00 PM ET. This matchup is all about circumstance, timing, and motivation — and every meaningful indicator points toward Presbyterian being the right side. On the surface, USC Upstate owns the better record, but the situation surrounding this game tilts strongly in favor of the Blue Hose.

Start with the scheduling spot. USC Upstate travels to Clinton with Winthrop on deck — and that is no ordinary opponent. Winthrop is the benchmark program in the Big South, a perennial title contender, and the popular choice for the Big Dance on an annual basis. The Eagles have won the regular season crown three times in the last five years and they have been a March Madness participant twice over that span. That number could have easily been three if the Eagles didn’t falter last year in the Big South Championship against High Point despite building a double-digit lead at halftime against the Panthers. Point and case, Beating Winthrop is the measuring stick for every Big South team, and the Spartans get them at home immediately after this game. Whether they admit it or not, focus drifts forward in spots like this. That makes this the textbook definition of a look-ahead situation.

Meanwhile, Presbyterian enters fully locked-in. The Blue Hose have had nearly two weeks to get ready, broken up only by a light tune-up against a Division II opponent six days ago. They are rested, settled, and more prepared. Upstate, by contrast, comes in on a shorter turnaround with just four days between contests.

Performance splits reinforce the edge. USC Upstate has struggled away from Spartanburg, posting just a 2-6 road record. Presbyterian has been the exact opposite at home, going 5-1 in their own building and playing with noticeable confidence on their floor. This is a team that elevates at home while the opponent regresses on the road — precisely the profile you want to invest in.

When you combine a fresher home team, extended prep time, favorable venue dynamics, and an opponent distracted by a marquee matchup looming next on the schedule, the picture becomes clear. This is a situational bullseye. Presbyterian isn’t simply capable of winning this game. They are positioned to control it. We’re moving in hard on the Blue Hose to do just that.

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