JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State women's basketball team hosts nationally-ranked Belmont at 6 p.m. on Wednesday evening inside Pete Mathews Coliseum.
 
The marquee matchup between the Gamecocks (17-10, 11-5 Ohio Valley) and the Bruins (26-3, 16-0 OVC) marks the second time a team in the AP Top 25 will visit The Pete during the 2017-18 season. The Bruins became the first OVC women's basketball team to crack the national poll since Tennessee Tech in 1992.
 
Wednesday's 6 p.m. tip-off has been deemed a "Black Out" with fans encouraged to wear black as the Gamecocks attempt to snapped BU's 41-game conference win streak than spans over three seasons. In recognition of great support all season, the final home game of the year will also be fan appreciation night with free admission to everyone in attendance.
 
JSU is closing in on the greatest season in program history since joining the OVC in 2004. Jax State has matched a school-record with 11 OVC conference wins, and is just two wins shy of tying the school's Division I record for total wins in a season. In the process, head coach Rick Pietri has climbed into sole possession of second-place on the school's all-time wins list with his 73rd victory since resurrecting the program prior to the 2013-14 season.
 
The Gamecocks have sustained a balanced offense all season long, led by true freshman Taylor Hawks averaging 8.5 points per game. Hawks is nearly mirrored by senior Tyler Phelion (8.4) and junior Rayven Pearson (8.3) in the scoring column. Although almost anyone can lead JSU scoring, the defense has been what the Gamecocks have hanged their hat on this season, evident by last Saturday's 51-50 victory at Austin Peay.
 
The contest will mark the final home game for seniors Phelion, Tasha Magruder, Ki-Ki Patterson, Gretchen Morrison and Leah Strain.
 
Jax State's league-leading scoring defense which allows just 57 points per game will face arguable its biggest challenge of the year facing Belmont's explosive offense that leads the OVC with 76.4 points per game.
 
The Bruins, who enter the contest ranked 23rd in the country, mark the first ranked opponent JSU has faced from mid-major conference since meeting No. 11 Georgetown during the 2009-10 campaign.
 
The Gamecocks have secured their spot in next week's OVC Tournament held at the Ford Center in Evansville, Ind. JSU's seeding and first-round opponent is yet to be determined, however all tournament games will be carried on both the OVC Digital Network as well as ESPN3.