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The SC State Bulldogs take on the NC Central Eagles in Durham, NC. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. ET on ESPNU.

NC Central is favored by 7.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -365. The total is set at 144.5 points.

Here’s my SC State vs. NC Central predictions and college basketball picks for March 5, 2026.

SC State vs NC Central Prediction

My Pick: NC Central 1H ATS

My SC State vs NC Central best bet is on the Eagles to cover the spread. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.

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SC State vs NC Central College Basketball Betting Preview

South Carolina State enters Thursday's MEAC matchup with an 8-21 overall record.

SC State began the season in atrocious fashion, losing its first 12 contests and 14 of its first 15, with its sole victory coming against a non-Division I program. The Bulldogs made some slight improvements in the latter half of the season and are currently tied for fifth in the MEAC standings.

SC State head coach Erik Martin is in his fourth season at the helm and actually had a relatively promising last campaign with the Bulldogs, finishing with a 20-13 record.

Unfortunately, that's far from the case this season, as Martin’s bunch has struggled on both ends of the floor all season long. The Bulldogs haven't been to the NCAA Tournament since 2003.

Leading the charge for the Bulldogs' offense is Jayden Johnson, who's averaging over 13 points per contest.

While the Bulldogs haven't had many high points this season, their guard play has been relatively solid, with their Owen Bronston Jr. also posting double-figure scoring efforts.

Martin’s frontcourt has been non-existent offensively, without a single forward scoring over 8.5 points per game this season. The Bulldogs' offense is scoring just 66.7 points a night and ranks outside the top 350 in the country in offensive efficiency rating, per KenPom.

On the other end of the floor, it hasn't been much better, with SC State allowing its opponents upwards of 80 points per contest. Its near-14-point scoring margin is among the worst in the MEAC.

Like its offense, the Bulldogs' defense ranks near the bottom of Division I programs, posting a defensive efficiency rating that ranks 357th nationally.

NC Central has been slightly better than its Thursday night opponent, entering this contest with a 12-16 overall record. The Eagles currently rank fourth in the MEAC standings.

LeVelle Moton is in his 17th season as head coach of the Eagles, having previously led them to four NCAA Tournament appearances.

Gage Lattimore is having a phenomenal sophomore season, leading the team in scoring with over 17 points per contest. The guard is also posting four rebounds and over two assists on average.

Khouri Carvey is also having himself a stellar final collegiate season for NC Central. The 6-foot-9 forward is scoring nearly 14 points and over six rebounds per contest.

Moton’s offense has scored over 72 points per game this season and ranks in the top 320 in offensive efficiency ratings, according to Haslametrics.

On the other end of the floor, the Eagles are allowing their opponents just over 76 points per contest this season, posting a -4 scoring margin, which ranks near the top of the conference.

NC Central has really struggled on the glass, averaging just 31 rebounds per contest, which ranks in the bottom 5% of all Division I programs.

The Eagles are coming off a big road victory over MEAC rival Maryland Eastern Shore, giving Moton’s bunch some confidence as the regular season comes to a close.

This should be a pretty ugly matchup, featuring two teams that rank near the bottom of Division I in several efficiency metrics. However, both teams are coming off victories, which could prove vital for their confidence heading into this clash.

I think NC Central is the clear right side in this matchup, as it's entering this contest with the better record and in far superior form.

While Moton’s Eagles have been dreadful at crashing the boards — without a single player in their rotation standing over 6-foot-8 — the Bulldogs are nearly as bad on the glass, which minimizes the area in which NC Central has struggled the most in all season long.

In a matchup featuring two teams desperate for some confidence prior to the MEAC Tournament, I'll be taking a small position on the home favorite on the moneyline.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The No. 23/25 Tennessee men's basketball team (20-9, 10-6) is set to continue the 2025-26 slate Tuesday, as it takes on the South Carolina Gamecocks (12-17, 13-13) at Colonial Life Arena. Tipoff is set for 6:00 p.m. ET.

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THE LATEST FROM THE VOLS

Vols Check in at #23/25 in Polls#22 Vols Drop 71-69 Result to #17/18 Alabama#22 Vols Fall, 73-69, at MissouriAment Wins Sixth SEC Freshman of the Week Accolade Vols Jump to #22 in National PollsVols Take Down #19/18 Vanderbilt, 69-65, in Nashville

Fans can watch Tuesday's game on ESPN and stream on the ESPN App. Kevin Fitzgerald (play-by-play) and Perry Clark (color) will have the call.

Fans state-wide can tune in to their local Vol Network radio affiliate to hear Voice of the Vols Mike Keith and analyst Chris Lofton depict the action.

THE MATCHUP • Tennessee is 12-2 in its last 14 matchups with South Carolina, dating to 1/20/18. • The Vols are 7-1 in their last eight against the Gamecocks, with six wins by 10-plus, five by 20-plus and two by 40-plus. Their average margin of victory is 23.4 ppg. • This is the third year in a row the sides are meeting in the last week of the regular season. • Tennessee is 5-1 in its last six trips to South Carolina, since 1/20/18. • In its last visit to Colonial Life Arena, on 3/6/24, UT clinched the 2023-24 SEC outright regular season title with a 66-59 victory. • Since South Carolina joined the SEC in 1991-92, this is just the fifth time the two schools are not meeting multiple times in the regular season. They also played just once each in 2024-25, 2020-21 (one game canceled due to COVID-19), 2013-14 and 2012-13. • Coming off a 12-20 (2-16) year, the Gamecocks checked in at No. 16 in the 2025-26 SEC preseason poll. • Redshirt senior guard Meechie Johnson paces South Carolina with 17.2 ppg, 4.3 apg and 1.3 spg.

NEWS & NOTES • Rick Barnes' 856 wins co-lead all active DI coaches and rank co-ninth all-time (min. 10 years in DI). • Ja'Kobi Gillespie has recorded eight steals in two of Tennessee's last four games after no Vol had ever reached that number previously. He is the fourth player in SEC history with multiple eight-steal outings, including the only one to do it twice in league play. • Against #17/18 Alabama, Ja'Kobi Gillespie became the first Division I player in the last 15 seasons (2011-26) with 26 points, eight steals, seven assists and five rebounds in a game. • Felix Okpara, the 20th player to log 100 blocks as a Vol, is averaging 12.3 ppg and 7.0 rpg on 75.0% shooting the last four outings. • Tennessee has led by double-digit points in each of its last four defeats, including by 13-plus in the second half of three. • UT has played just three games (2-1) that did not include a lead of 10-plus either way. Only one (1-0) did not have a nine-point margin. • Tennessee has held each of its last nine foes to fewer than 75 points. • UT's 45.4 offensive rebounding percentage is on pace to be, per KenPom, the second-best mark this century. It trails only 2000-01 Michigan State (47.0). • The Vols have grabbed at least 15 offensive boards 19 times this year. • Tennessee is looking to reach 11-plus SEC wins for the fifth season in a row. It has done that just once previously, with a seven-year tally from 1970-71 to 1976-77. • The Vols are also seeking 21-plus wins for the fifth straight year, which they have also done once before, from 2005-06 to 2009-10. • Tennessee, Alabama and Houston are the only schools to make the last three Sweet 16s. Tennessee, Alabama and Duke are the only three in the last two Elite Eights. • UT finished a program-best fifth in the AP Poll, Coaches Poll and KenPom in 2023-24 and 2024-25. • The Volunteers' 221 wins the last nine years (2017-26) place co-eighth in DI, alongside Arizona. Only Gonzaga (267), Houston (267), Duke (247), Kansas (233), Purdue (228), Saint Mary's (227) and Liberty (223) possess more.

WINNING WAYS • Over the last nine seasons (2017-26), Tennessee (221-83; .727) paces all SEC programs in total victories, overall winning percentage and postseason victories (23). In that span, UT has three SEC titles (2018 and 2024 regular seasons, 2022 tournament). • In that same period, the Volunteers are one of two SEC teams with even 210-plus wins and/or a winning percentage above .690, alongside Auburn (217-85; .719). • Over SEC play across the same span, Tennessee (108-51; .679) is first in both league victories and league winning percentage. The only other schools at even 100-plus wins and/or a .615 clip are Kentucky (107-52; .673), Alabama (103-57; .644) and Auburn (102-58; .638). • In just the last five seasons (2021-26), the Vols own a 129-45 (.741) overall record. That is good for the most total wins and the best winning percentage in the SEC, far ahead of Auburn (.724; 123-47). • In that time, Tennessee (61-27; .693) is second in league victories and league winning percentage, behind only Alabama (63-25; .716).

OWNING THE OPENING TIP • Tennessee won the jump-ball in 29 of 38 outings last year, with Felix Okpara taking all of them. • After starting 12-9 in jump-balls, Okpara claimed 17 in a row to conclude the season. He then won five in a row to open 2025-26, giving him 22 straight wins. • Okpara is 18-10 so far in 2025-26, including overtime, giving him a 47-19 (.712) overall mark as a Vol. • Per KenPom, Okpara has 70 jump-ball wins the last three years (2023-26), second among active players.

BEASTS ON THE BOARDS • Tennessee leads the nation, according to KenPom, with a 45.4 offensive rebounding percentage. That is 2.8 above second-ranked Florida (42.6) and 6.0 ahead of third-place Virginia (39.4). • UT is on pace, per KenPom, to be the second-best offensive rebounding team this century. The Vols trail only 2000-01 Michigan State (47.0), while placing just above 2000-01 Georgetown (45.3). • The Volunteers have logged double-digit offensive rebounds in 28 of 29 games, with 13-plus in 24, 15-plus in 19, 20-plus in six and 23-plus in four. Their top tally is 26. • UT is first in DI in offensive rebounds per game (16.10), second in rebounding margin (13.5) and third in total rebounds per game (42.97). • The Vols have grabbed at least 35 total boards in 26 of 29 contests, with 40-plus in 18, 45-plus in 14 and 50-plus in six. Their highest mark is 60. • Jaylen Carey (five times), J.P. Estrella (three), Felix Okpara (three), Bishop Boswell (two), DeWayne Brown II (two) and Nate Ament (one) have all amassed 10 total rebounds in a game this season. • Per KenPom, Jaylen Carey is eighth in the country with his 17.9 offensive rebounding percentage. J.P. Estrella has a 17.7 mark, but does not qualify. • In his second start, versus Gardner-Webb (12/21/25), DeWayne Brown II had 14 rebounds. He tied Grant Williams (3/1/17), Jarnell Stokes (3/3/12) and Brian Williams (12/15/07) for the most by a UT freshman in the last 20 seasons (2006-26). He also tied the fifth-highest total by any Vol in the Rick Barnes era. • The Volunteers pulled down 60 rebounds in the double-overtime victory against Texas A&M (1/13/26) and conceded just 35 (plus-25). It marked their first time with 55-plus rebounds since grabbing 58 on 11/18/08 versus UT Martin. UT had 24 offensive boards and allowed only 10 (plus-14). Jaylen Carey (10p, 9r) was one rebound away from giving Tennessee three players with double-digit boards and double-doubles, as Bishop Boswell (13p, 11r) and Felix Okpara (10p, 12r) both hit that mark. • In the overtime win at Georgia (1/28/26), Tennessee grabbed 52 rebounds and allowed only 27 (plus-25). It also pulled down an astounding 26 offensive boards while giving up just seven (plus-19). Two Vols, J.P. Estrella and Felix Okpara, had as many offensive boards individually as the Bulldogs did as a team. Bishop Boswell (13p, 10r) tallied a double-double, while Estrella (17p, 9r) and Okpara (6p, 11r) nearly did so. • In the victory against Auburn (1/31/26), Tennessee had four players—Nate Ament, Bishop Boswell, Jaylen Carey and Amari Evans—grab eight rebounds. It marked the second such instance for the Volunteers in the last 20 seasons (2006-26), alongside a 12/23/13 game versus Morehead State. DeWayne Brown II gave UT five players with seven-plus boards, the first such occurrence for UT in the last two decades and just the fourth by any SEC team in league play. • At Kentucky (2/7/26), DeWayne Brown II pulled down a game-best 12 rebounds. That tied for the third-most by a Tennessee freshman in an SEC game the last 20 seasons (2006-26). The only others to hit that mark are Grant Williams (14 on 3/1/17 at LSU), Jarnell Stokes (14 on 3/3/12 against Vanderbilt), Tobias Harris (12 on 1/29/11 at Ole Miss) and Wayne Chism (12 on 2/10/07 against Vanderbilt).

GILLESPIE'S GREATNESS • After scoring eight points in his Tennessee debut, Gillespie has scored double-digit points in all 28 games since then. He has 15-plus points in 22 tilts, 17-plus in 18, 20-plus in 12 and 24-plus in five. • Per ESPN's Kevin Connors, Gillespie's 28-game double-figure scoring streak is the second longest by a Vol this century. It trails only Ron Slay's multi-year streak of 29 games from 2001-02 into 2002-03.

SNATCHING STEALS • Ja'Kobi Gillespie set a program single-game record with eight steals in the win over Oklahoma (2/18/26). He added 16 points and eight assists. • In UT's next home game, versus #17/18 Alabama (2/28/26), Gillespie again had eight steals, including seven in the first 18 minutes. He also notched 26 points, seven assists and five rebounds. • The eight steals tied the fifth-highest total ever by an SEC player, including the co-second-most versus a fellow SEC team. • Only seven other SEC players have tallied eight-plus steals versus league SEC foes: Boogie Fland (2026), Tremont Waters (2018), Anthony Hickey (2013), Rajon Rondo (2005), Clarence Ceasar (1994), Shawn Griggs (1991 [10]) and Clifford Lett (1989). • Gillespie is the fourth player in SEC history with multiple eight-steal outings, joining Shawn Griggs (three), Gary Hooker and Tremont Waters. He is the only player to achieve the feat twice in league play. • In addition, against the Sooners, Gillespie became the eighth player from any league in the last 20 seasons (2006-26) with 16 points, eight assists and eight steals versus a DI foe. He is the only one in that span to achieve the feat against a Power Six team. • Furthermore, versus the Crimson Tide, he became the only DI player player in the last 15 years (2011-26) with 26 points, eight steals, seven assists and five rebounds in a contest.

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Game: South Carolina State Bulldogs vs North Carolina Central Eagles

Location: McDougald-McLendon Arena in Durham, NC

TV: ESPNU

The South Carolina State Bulldogs (8-21) are hitting the road to McDougald-McLendon Arena on Thursday where they will take on the North Carolina Central Eagles (12-16).

The South Carolina State Bulldogs played Delaware State and walked away with a win by a score of 61-59 in their last game. In the matter of personal fouls, the Bulldogs ended up finishing with 15 and Delaware State accounted for 23 personal fouls. They also made 3 out of their 15 tries from distance. Delaware State ended up shooting 83.3% from the free throw line by making 20 of their 24 tries. Moreover, Delaware State grabbed 28 rebounds (10 offensive, 18 defensive), but wasn't able to put a block in the stat sheet. Delaware State distributed 3 assists and had 8 steals for this game. When talking about defending, South Carolina State allowed the other team to shoot 36.0% from the field on 18 out of 50 shooting. They also recorded 9 assists in the matchup as well as forcing 8 turnovers and getting 5 steals. With respect to rebounding, they collected 23 with 4 of them being of the offensive variety. At the free throw line, the Bulldogs made 25 of 29 attempts for a percentage of 86.2%. South Carolina State ended the game having earned a 38.1% FG percentage (16 out of 42) and converted 4 of 11 three-point shots.

Noah Treadwell is a player who was a major contributor for this game. He finished with 18 points on 7 of 12 shooting. He played 34 minutes and collected 1 rebound. He went 58.3% from the field but finished the game without a dime.

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South Carolina State steps onto the court with a win-loss mark of 8-21 this season. They are turning it over 14.7 times per contest and as a team are committing 21.2 personal fouls on a nightly basis. As a unit, South Carolina State is pulling in 30.6 boards per contest and has racked up 345 dimes so far this year, which ranks 337th in Division 1 in terms of passing the rock. The Bulldogs are hitting 33.3% on shots from 3-point land (174 of 523) and 66.7% from the free throw line. They are averaging 66.1 pts per game (349th in college hoops) while connecting on 40.9% from the field.

On the defensive end, the Bulldogs are able to force 13.3 turnovers on a nightly basis while drawing 19.4 fouls. They are 289th in college in giving up assists to their opponents with 446 conceded on the season. The Bulldogs defense is allowing a FG percentage of 47.4% (756 of 1,596) and they surrender 34.8 boards per game as a unit. They are conceding 34.6% on shots from distance and they are ranked 319th in the nation in PPG from their opponents (79.2).

When they last stepped on the court, the North Carolina Central Eagles got the victory with a final of 77-73 when they played Maryland Eastern Shore. Concerning attacking the glass, North Carolina Central allowed Maryland Eastern Shore to pull down 41 in all (17 offensive). They went 41.2% from distance by connecting on 7 out of 17 and finished the game at 6 out of 8 from the charity stripe (75.0%). The Eagles permitted Maryland Eastern Shore to bury 30 of 60 tries from the field which gave them a shooting percentage of 50.0% in this contest. When this game wrapped up, the Eagles ended up shooting 23 out of 50 from the floor which gave them a shooting percentage of 46.0%. When discussing shots from downtown, North Carolina Central made 9 out of their 20 tries (45.0%). They were able to knock down 22 of those for a percentage of 75.9%. Maryland Eastern Shore committed 21 fouls for this contest which got the Eagles to the free throw line for a total of 29 tries. They also gave up possession of the ball 10 times, while getting 15 steals in the game. The Eagles were able to pull down 11 defensive boards and 5 offensive rebounds totaling 16 in this matchup.

Gage Lattimore ended up being a major contributor for the Eagles for the game. He accumulated 23 points in his 37 mins on the court and earned 6 assists for the game. He buried 4 of 13 in this contest giving him a rate of 30.8%, and added 3 rebounds.

North Carolina Central has a record of 12-16 for the campaign. The Eagles are committing 17.5 fouls per contest and they go 72.3% from the free throw line. They are earning an assist 14.2 times per contest (155th in college) and they lose possession by turning the ball over 12.3 times per game. North Carolina Central has totaled 2,030 pts on the season (72.5 per contest) and they collect 31.3 boards per game. As an offense, the Eagles are hitting on 44.3% from the floor, which is 240th in the nation.

The North Carolina Central defense surrenders 35.9% on 3-point attempts (236 of 658) and opponents are converting on 71.1% of their shots from the charity stripe. They give up 15.4 assists and 37.0 rebounds every game, which has them ranked 307th and 319th in college hoops. The Eagles are ranked 245th in college hoops in points allowed per contest with 76.3. They are able to force 15.1 TO's every game and allow teams to shoot 46.4% from the floor (305th in D-1).

Who will win tonight's NCAA game against the spread?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take North Carolina Central

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The Central SC Alliance appointed Annie Caggiano as senior vice president of business recruitment.

In this role, she will lead the organization’s efforts to recruit new industry, drive capital investment and support job creation across the central South Carolina region.

Caggiano brings more than 20 years of economic development experience, including senior leadership roles at the state, regional and county levels, according to a news release. Most recently, she served as director of global business development for the South Carolina Department of Commerce, where she led domestic and international recruitment efforts and oversaw a pipeline of more than 350 active projects. During her tenure, she helped close 149 projects representing more than $17 billion in capital investment and 13,000 new jobs across the state.

“We are very excited to welcome Annie to the Central team,” Jason Giulietti, president and CEO of Central SC Alliance, said in the release. “Her incredible background, depth of experience, proven results and history in the state made her an easy choice to lead such an important role for our organization and region.”

At Central SC Alliance, Caggiano will guide business attraction strategy across Calhoun, Clarendon, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lexington, Newberry, Richland and Orangeburg counties, as well as the city of Columbia. She will focus on priority industry sectors including automotive, machinery, chemicals and plastics, energy technologies, food and beverage manufacturing and life sciences.

“I am excited to focus my efforts on Central South Carolina and to work alongside our county partners to elevate the region’s competitive position,” Caggiano said in the release. “This region has tremendous assets, including strategic location, talent, infrastructure and a strong collaborative spirit. I look forward to building on that foundation to attract investment that creates opportunity for families and communities across the Midlands.”

Prior to her statewide leadership role, Caggiano served as president and CEO of a county economic development organization in the Upstate, where she managed investor relations, negotiated incentive packages and advised elected officials on economic competitiveness. She also held leadership positions with regional development organizations and a public utility, providing experience in infrastructure coordination, workforce alignment and public-private partnerships.

A graduate of Clemson University with a degree in marketing, Caggiano is a certified economic developer and has completed executive education in negotiation management and project management, the release said. She has been active in economic development trade organizations and workforce initiatives throughout her career.

The Red Cross has responded to dozens of Midlands fires this year, helping families displaced by recent apartment blazes with shelter and supplies.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Over the past few weeks, the Midlands has seen multiple apartment fires that have displaced dozens of families and left many without their belongings.

In the blink of an eye, a house fire can completely unravel someone’s life, forcing families to start over from scratch. Support systems like the American Red Cross are working to make that process a little easier.

According to the Red Cross, the organization has responded to 96 house fires in Central South Carolina since the start of 2026. Two of those fires alone displaced more than 60 apartment residents.

One Red Cross client who lived at the Bent Tree Apartments said she woke up to flames on her balcony and had only moments to escape on February 1st..

She told News 19 she fled with just her two cats, her phone, her keys and the clothes on her back.

“I pretty much lost everything, all my furniture, appliances, my clothes,” she said. “I’m a big reader, so I lost all my books, and then all of my memorabilia stuff, photo albums from my family.

Red Cross leaders say their support goes beyond immediate disaster response. Along with emotional support, the organization provides financial assistance for clothing, basic supplies and temporary shelter when needed.

Denise Teasdell, executive director for Central South Carolina, said case managers stay in close contact with fire victims during the recovery process.

“Our case managers reach out to them while they’re in a hotel, and we may be able to walk them through and also maybe give them some other partners in the community that may be able to assist them,” Teasdell said.

The Bent Tree resident said the outreach made a difficult situation easier to manage.

“Red Cross actually reached out to me (after the fire). They called me and told me, ‘Hey, if you need support or anything, we can set up a meeting with you,’ and it was really easy,” she said.

The Red Cross was able to provide the resident with hundreds of dollars for new household supplies, clothing and medications. With additional help from family and friends, she is now moved into a new home and start fresh.

“I’m very overwhelmed with the amount of support I’ve gotten,” she said. “I would not have done as well after the fire if I didn’t have those support systems around me.”

Officials encourage anyone affected by a home fire to reach out to the Red Cross for assistance.