Jacksonville State Game Notes | Eastern Kentucky Game Notes
JACKSONVILLE -- The Jacksonville State men's basketball team begins a three-game homestand Thursday with a 7 p.m. matchup against OVC foe Eastern Kentucky at Pete Mathews Coliseum.
The Gamecocks sit in second place in the OVC East standings behind Belmont entering the weekend. JSU is coming off a 1-1 week that featured its first ever conference win at the Gentry Center over Tennessee State. Under head coach Ray Harper, Jacksonville State is off to a 5-2 start in conference play for the first time since the 1999-2000 season, and a historic eight wins have been claimed on the road. The last time JSU won more games on the road was 1991-92 under legendary head coach Bill Jones.
Eastern Kentucky has struggled as of late, losing its last five games. The five game skid has dropped the Colonels to last place in the OVC East at 1-6. EKU's lone conference win came against SIUE, 78-61, at home on Jan. 5. Junior Zach Charles nearly averaged a double-double last week for the Colonels (9.0 ppg, 9.5 rpg). He notched his second double-double of the year at Murray State (12 points, 12 rebounds), before scoring six points and grabbing a team-best seven boards at Morehead State.
For more information on the JSU men's basketball team, follow the Gamecocks on Twitter (@JSU_MBB). For more on all Gamecocks sports teams, follow the official social media accounts of JSU Athletics on Twitter (@JSUGamecocks), Facebook (Facebook.com/JSUGamecocks), Instagram (@JSUGamecocks) and Snapchat (@JSUGamecocks).
GAME 23
Jacksonville State (13-9, 5-2 OVC) vs. Eastern Kentucky (8-14, 1-6 OVC)
January 26, 2017 | 7 p.m. CT
Jacksonville, Ala. | Pete Mathews Coliseum (3,500)
SERIES HISTORY
Last Meeting: February 25, 2016 (L, 76-54)
All-Time Series Record: Eastern Kentucky leads 18-8
FOLLOW LIVE
Listen:
Gamecock Sports Network (WLJS 91.9 FM, WVOK 97.9 FM)
Watch:
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NOTEWORTHY
• Eastern Kentucky controls an 18-8 advantage over Jacksonville State in the all-time series. The Gamecocks have won just one game in their last five meetings; a 71-67 victory at Pete Mathews Coliseum.
• Jacksonville State is off to a 5-2 start in OVC play, picking up five wins in seven conference games for the first time since the 1999-2000 season. The Gamecocks went on to finish 17- 11 under then-head coach Mark Turgeon. The last time JSU began a conference slate with a record better than 5-2 was the same season under Turgeon. His team was 6-0 before suffering its first loss in TAAC.
• The Gamecocks are scheduled to play a total of 21 games away from Pete Mathews Coliseum during the 2016-17 regular season. JSU is currently 8-8 on the road and 10-8 including neutral site games. Their eight road wins are tied for the most in the nation with UNC Wilmington (8-1), Winthrop (8-2) and Texas Southern (8-10). Their 10 total wins away from home are tied for the most in the NCAA with only UNC Wilmington (10-2).
• The Gamecocks lead the OVC in three-point field goal percentage with a .395 clip, hitting 163 of 413 shots taken. They also own the conference's best rebounding defense, allowing just 32.0 boards per game. JSU's 70.5 scoring defense is good for second in the league, and they own the third-best field goal percentage defenese at .427.
• The Gamecocks own the second-best RPI in the OVC at 117. Only Belmont (91) owns better RPI rankings than Jacksonville State. The Gamecocks have the third-best RPI in the state of Alabama behind the SEC's Auburn (70) and Alabama (90).
• JSU downed Tennessee State 86-79 Jan. 21 to claim their first OVC win at the Gentry Center in program history. Prior to the Saturday matchup, the only win JSU had recorded at the home of the Tigers was 12/16/1999, 77-65, under head coach Mark Turgeon.
• Ten of JSU's 13 wins have come away from Pete Mathews Coliseum, and eight of those wins are true road games. Jacksonville State has not won eight games on the road since going 9-1 during the 1991-92 season. JSU has combined to win more games away from Jacksonville this season than the past three years combined (3, 15-16; 1, 14-15; 3, 13-14).
• Senior Erik Durham's name ranks among the top three-point shooters in the NCAA. His 53.8 three-point field goal percentage ranks first in the nation, while his 57 three-point field goals made rank 49th in the country. He ranks first in the OVC for three-point percentage and sixth for three-pointers made.
