South Carolina Upstate Spartans vs Coastal Carolina Chanticleers Predictions

Coastal Carolina's edge comes at a high price

Coastal Carolina is favored by 10.5 points and priced at -470 to win Monday in Conway. Trey Perry's 17.0 points per game and the Chanticleers' average of 7.0 blocks through two games support making the home team the likely winner, but not laying either price.

Coastal Carolina University Athletics reports that the Chanticleers opened with a 71-70 home loss to Eastern Michigan before losing 113-52 at Duke. Those results don't show that Coastal Carolina can win by double digits, especially with both teams entering at 0-2.

USC Upstate can challenge inside

University of South Carolina Upstate Athletics reports that the Spartans collected 45 rebounds, scored 36 points in the paint and received 35 bench points in a 78-70 loss to South Carolina State. Alessandro Perotti had 18 points and nine rebounds in that game. That interior production gives USC Upstate a plausible way to stay within 10.5 points.

The concern for the Spartans is their 10-for-41 three-point shooting through two games. Coastal Carolina's shot blocking could make scoring inside harder, and there isn't evidence yet that USC Upstate can answer from the perimeter.

Prediction

Coastal Carolina should win at home, but the -470 moneyline demands more certainty than an 0-2 team has earned. USC Upstate's rebounding and paint production make the spread difficult to trust, while the available results don't support a separate play on the 148.5 total. Pass.