Gamecocks Clash with WKU in Exciting Midweek Showdown!

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The Jacksonville State Men’s Basketball squad is preparing to head to Bowling Green, Ky. for the initial phase of a two-game away trip on Thursday. The Gamecocks will kick off the journey against Western Kentucky at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 9. 
 
Jax State (8-6, 0-1 CUSA) vs Western Kentucky (10-5, 1-1 CUSA)
When: Thursday, January 9 | 7 PM 
Where: E.A. Diddle Arena | Bowling Green, Ky.
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Tickets: Click Here
TV: ESPN+ 
Radio: Tune into all the action on the Gamecock Sports Network as “The Voice” Mike Parris returns to the mic for his 42nd season narrating Gamecock Basketball play-by-play. The main stations for the Gamecock Sports Network include 91.9 WLJS (Jacksonville), WVOK 97.9 (Anniston/Oxford), WKXX 102.9 (Attalla/Gadsden), 95.5 WRBZ (Montgomery/Wetumpka), 95.3/94.7 WCRL (Oneonta), 97.7 WKXM (Winfield) and 107.1 WRAB (Arab).
 
 
Jax State Insights
 
 
 
Last Contest Recap
Jax State commenced CUSA action with an 83-71 defeat on the road against Kennesaw State. The Gamecocks faced their first setback in rebounding this season, being out-rebounded 44-28, which included a 29-18 disadvantage on the defensive boards for the Owls.
 
Bluegrass Ties
The head coach of Jax State, Ray Harper, has several connections to the Bluegrass State, having previously coached at WKU. Harper, originally from Bremen, Ky., led the Hilltopper MBB program for five seasons, achieving an 89-64 record along with two NCAA Tournament participations. Additionally, Harper spent nine seasons as the head coach at Kentucky Wesleyan.
 
Distributing the Ball
During the game against Fort Valley State on Dec. 30, Jax State achieved a season-high 22 assists. This impressive display of playmaking featured six players scoring in double digits, led by Jaron Pierre (29) and Jao Ituka (17), with Marcellus Brigham Jr. (11), Quel’Ron House (11), Michael Houge (10) and Mason Nicholson (10) also contributing.
 
He Shoots, He Makes
Jaron Pierre Jr. concluded his matchup against Fort Valley State just two points short of his career peak, setting a new personal record for assists. Pierre demonstrated remarkable shooting, going 12-for-14 from the field to tally 29 points and added 10 assists. The native of New Orleans also recorded four rebounds against the Wildcats.
 
Jao What’s New?
After making only seven three-pointers at a rate of 38.9 percent from beyond the arc in his initial seven games this season, Jao Ituka is now connecting on 47.7 percent from three, with 21 successful shots over his past seven games. Ituka is averaging 13.9 points per contest during this span, up from 7.4 in the earlier games this season.
 
Milestone for Cell
Marcellus Brigham Jr. is the most seasoned player on the Jax State roster, gearing up for his fifth season in Jacksonville. Brigham has participated in 105 games throughout his five seasons at Jacksonville. His appearance in the game against South Alabama this season marked his 100th career game donning a Gamecock uniform. 
 
JP Among the Leaders
After 14 games this season, Jax State guard Jaron Pierre Jr. stands among the top 20 nationally in both Total Points (12th) and PPG (3rd). Pierre’s 22.9 points per game tops Conference USA and places him a mere 0.1 PPG shy of Northern Arizona’s Trenton McLaughlin for second place. 
 
Looking Ahead
Following the matchup with WKU, Jax State will face off against Middle Tennessee on Saturday. They will begin their home CUSA schedule on Jan. 16 against Louisiana Tech.