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JACKSONVILLE – After an eight-day break away from competition, the Jacksonville State women's basketball team returns to Pete Mathews Coliseum on Friday, hosting Reinhardt University.  Tip off is set for 6 p.m.

The Gamecocks have been idle since their narrow, 51-50, loss to Kennesaw State back on Nov. 28.  The squad has been wrapping up the fall semester final exams on the JSU campus this past week.  JSU enters its final home game before the Christmas break looking for its first win of the season.  Jax State has lost the last three home decisions by a total of seven points.

The Eagles of RU, who come to Jacksonville from Waleska, Ga., enter the contest at 6-5 on the season after a 48-43 win over Tennessee Temple last Tuesday night. The Eagles of Reinhardt University is a member of the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) and plays in the Appalachian Athletic Conference. Senior guard Tara Hay and junior center Taylor Johnson lead the Blue and Gold clad Eagles in scoring with double figure averages.  Johnson leads the team in rebounds, averaging 7.6 per contest.

Sophomore Miranda Cantrell has sparked the Gamecock offense in the last three games.  After sitting out the season opener at Alabama, due to an injury in the preseason, the post player from College Park, Ga. shares the team lead in scoring with a 9.2 per game mark.  Cantrell has turned in a trio of consecutive double figure point totals dating back to the Samford contest.  She established a new career high versus SU with 12 points and put together back-to-back 10-point efforts against Jacksonville and Kennesaw State.

Sophomore Briana Morrow and senior Amanda McCarthy are ranked among the NCAA leaders in a pair of statistical categories in the latest NCAA report this week.  Morrow ranks 21st in rebounds per game with an 11.0 mark.  She is just 3.8 rebounds off of the nation's leader, Jillian Alleyne of Oregon.  McCarthy is listed 38th among the individuals in the free throw percentage category with a .900 charity stripe mark.  Harvard's Christine Clark is a perfect 28-for-28 at the free throw line.

After Friday's Reinhardt contest, Jax State will play five games on the road over a 12-day span.  The road trip begins on Sunday, Dec. 9 in Nashville, Tenn. versus Lipscomb and ends at Southeastern Conference member, Mississippi State on Thursday, Dec. 20.  JSU will travel to Chattanooga on Dec. 12 and take part in the Hampton Inn Oceanfront Holiday Classic, hosted by the University of North Florida, on Dec. 14 and Dec. 15.  Jax State will face host-UNF in the opening contest and take on Campbell to wrap up the two-day event.