For today’s News, Notes and Highlighted Games co-written by Chad Sherwood and the Puppet – CLICK HERE
Eastern Kentucky (2-1) at USC-Upstate (0-2, 0-1 D1) – 5:30 PM EST (ESPN+)
Tonight’s UTR Game of the Day takes us to Spartanburg, South Carolina where Eastern Kentucky will hit the road for the fourth time this season as they take on the Spartans of USC-Upstate. While the Colonels opened their season with two wins against North Florida and Charleston Southern in the Wolfpack Classic in Raleigh, their most notable game this year was an overtime loss against Xavier in which EKU hit a game-tying 3 pointer to end regulation and hit what could have extended the game to a second overtime, but alas the shooter had his foot on the line and ended up with a 99-96 loss after two Xavier free throws to end the game. Tre King has averaged over 18 points a game in three games for EKU.
Today, USC-Upstate will be playing with heavy hearts as they commemorate the passing of former head coach Jerry Waters – he was coach when then USC-Spartanburg won the NAIA national championship in 1981-82. Prior to that, the Spartans opened the season with a pair of losses against Southern Wesleyan (non-D1) and Furman in a multi-team event hosted by Furman. Bryson Mozone averaged 13 points a game in their first two contests; another notable player is Brandon Martin – his father is South Carolina head coach Frank Martin.