---
title: "Spartanburg’s USC Upstate Men Open Season at East Carolina"
url: https://www.herespartanburg.com/2026/11/01/usc-upstate-mens-basketball-opens-at-east-carolina/
date: 2026-11-01T05:12:18-05:00
modified: 2026-11-01T05:12:18-05:00
author: "Braxton Rodriguez"
categories: ["Sports"]
site: "HERESpartanburg"
attribution: "HERESpartanburg"
---

# Spartanburg’s USC Upstate Men Open Season at East Carolina

> SPARTANBURG, S.C. — The Spartanburg-based USC Upstate men start their 2026-27 basketball season on the road Monday, Nov. 2, with a 7 p.m. tipoff against East Carolina at Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum in Greenville, N.C. It is the first game of the year for both teams. The Spartans bring back an attack that put

*Source: [HERESpartanburg](https://www.herespartanburg.com/2026/11/01/usc-upstate-mens-basketball-opens-at-east-carolina/) — November 1, 2026 by Braxton Rodriguez*

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — The Spartanburg-based USC Upstate men start their 2026-27 basketball season on the road Monday, Nov. 2, with a 7 p.m. tipoff against East Carolina at Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum in Greenville, N.C. It is the first game of the year for both teams.

The Spartans bring back an attack that put up 74.2 points a game last winter and hit 231 threes over 32 games. East Carolina, coached by Michael Schwartz, went 11-20 a year ago and gave up 77.5 points per night. The Pirates lead the all-time series 2-1, but Upstate won the last meeting, 83-81, in November 2023.

Fans in Spartanburg get their first look at the team on Friday, Nov. 6, when South Carolina State visits the G.B. Hodge Center for a 6:30 p.m. home opener. A trip to Coastal Carolina in Conway follows on Nov. 9.

The program also reshuffled its calendar this week. A Dec. 18 home date with Paine College is off, and Southern Wesleyan comes to the Hodge Center instead on Friday, Nov. 27, at 6 p.m. Tickets bought for the December game will be honored that night. The men and women will play four home games in five days that Thanksgiving week, with the men closing it against West Georgia on Nov. 29.