JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State men's and women's basketball teams both return to the court Tuesday night at Pete Mathews Coliseum to host the first home doubleheader of the season.
 
The JSU women begin the evening with a 5:15 p.m. tip against Miami (Ohio), followed by the men at 7:15 p.m. against North Alabama. Both games are set to broadcast live on ESPN+.
 
The Jax State women put their four-game winning streak to the test against the RedHawks. The Gamecocks (6-3) made the trip up to Oxford, Ohio, last December for the first-ever meeting between the two programs. Miami finished 21-11 a year ago for its best season in more than a decade and bring a 7-2 record into The Pete this time around.
 
Like JSU, the RedHawks had won three-straight to begin December before falling on the road to Florida A&M, 58-57, on Sunday, a team the Gamecocks beat 62-31 in Tallahassee to open the season. 
 
JSU is coming off a thrilling 61-56 overtime win over Georgia State in the first game back inside Pete Mathews Coliseum since the March tornado. Chloe Long's layup in the closing seconds from Yamia Johnson's long sideline inbounds pulled JSU within two, before Rayven Pearson grabbed a missed free throw and put it back up for the tying bucket with 0.9 remaining to force overtime against GSU. The Panthers relinquished another lead with 39 seconds left in the extra period as Jax State won its third-straight game that involved rallying from behind in the second half.
 
Miami averages 67.6 points per game, but the RadHawks will be challenged against JSU's stellar defense that's limited its opposition to just 54.0 points through the first nine games to rank 24th in the nation in scoring defense. Women's Basketball - Game 10
Jacksonville State (6-3, 0-0 OVC) vs. Miami (Ohio) (7-2, 0-0 Mid-American)
December 18, 2018 | 5:15 p.m. CT
Jacksonville, Ala. | Pete Mathews Coliseum (3,500)

SERIES HISTORY
Last Meeting: Dec. 9, 2017 @ MU (L, 58-55)
All-Time Series Record: MU leads series 1-0

FOLLOW LIVE
Listen: Gamecocks Radio Network - 91.9 WLJS & 97.9 WVOK
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: Click Here  The Jacksonville State men's basketball team wraps up its 2018-19 series with UNA by hosting the Lions at Pete Mathews Coliseum for the first time in 25 seasons.
 
The last time North Alabama (3-8) visited Jacksonville State (6-4) was Feb. 15, 1993 during the Gamecocks' final season at the Division II level. Then-head coach Bill Jones led Jacksonville State to a 109-95 win over the Lions – the last meeting between the two programs until December of this year.
 
The storied rivalry is the fourth-longest in JSU's history with 88 games played between the two teams, surpassed only by series with Troy (109), West Alabama (96) and Samford (92). The Gamecocks claimed the last matchup earlier this season with a 89-58 victory in Florence.
 
The Gamecocks are coming off a 55-50 win over Evansville on Saturday. The victory over the Missouri Valley Conference foe was the program's first against a MVC opponent. The JSU defense held the Puple Aces to 29 points below their 79.0-points-per-game average.
 
A win over North Alabama Tuesday would yield two milestone victories for the men's basketball program: the 450th Gamecock win in Pete Mathews Coliseum's 45-year history, and the 50th win for Ray Harper as Jacksonville State's head coach. With a W in his 82nd game with the Gamecocks, Harper would become the second-fasted JSU head coach to reach the half-century mark, while becoming the fastest to reach 50 wins at the Division I level. Jones holds the program record with 50 wins in 80 games coached (D2).
 
The Lions enter the game having dropped their eighth of the season Saturday in a tough 53-48 loss to UNC Greensboro. North Alabama is still seeking its first Division I win since joining the ASUN this season. Its wins have come against Blue Mountain, Martin Methodist and Huntington – all at home at Flowers Hall.
 
UNA is led by freshman sensation Jamari Blackmon who is leading the Lions in scoring average (16.9 ppg), assists (35) and steals (18). The point guard from Hoover, Ala., is the ASUN's leading freshman scorer and has been named ASUN Newcomer of the Week once. He is currently the 12th-highest scorer in the NCAA.

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Men's Basketball - Game 11
Jacksonville State (6-4, 0-0 OVC) vs. North Alabama (3-8, 0-0 ASUN)
December 18, 2018 | 7:15 p.m. CT
Jacksonville, Ala. | Pete Mathews Coliseum (3,500)

SERIES HISTORY
Last Meeting: Dec. 1, 2018 @ UNA (W, 76-65)
All-Time Series Record: JSU leads series 52-36

FOLLOW LIVE
Listen: Gamecocks Radio Network - 91.9 WLJS & 97.9 WVOK
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: Click Here 

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Season tickets and single-game tickets are now available for purchase online at JSUGamecocksTickets.com, by phone at (256) 782-8499 and on campus at the JSU Ticket Office at Kennamer Hall. Children 18-years-old and under and JSU students are admitted free.
 
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).