DALLAS – The Jacksonville State men's basketball team opens its season at Southern Methodist University on Tuesday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. on ESPN3.
 
Tuesday's game will be available online through ESPN3 on WatchESPN. Visit espn.com/watch or download the ESPN app to view the game on a computer or mobile device.
 
Fans can also listen to "The Voice" of the Gamecocks, Mike Parris, on the Gamecock Radio Network and online. Parris is entering his 37th season on the mic for Jacksonville State basketball.
 
Tuesday's matchup marks the Gamecocks' first trip to SMU's Moody Coliseum and the third trip to the Lone Star State in the past four seasons. Jacksonville State is looking to earn its first Texas win under head coach Ray Harper, who enters the season chasing his 500th career win.
 
In its lone exhibition of the preseason, JSU topped Montevallo 73-68 last Tuesday night at Pete Mathews Coliseum. Senior forward Jacara Cross came up just one rebound shy of a double-double, scoring 13 points in the tune-up against the Falcons. Ten played and scored for the Gamecocks in the matchup.
 
Next on the schedule for Jacksonville State is its home opener against Brescia on Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 7:30 p.m. The game will broadcast live on ESPN+. 

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Men's Basketball - Game 1
Jacksonville State (0-0, 0-0 OVC) at SMU (0-0, 0-0 American)
November 5, 2019 | 7 p.m. CT
Dallas, Texas | Moody Coliseum (7,000)

SERIES HISTORY
Last Meeting: First meeting
All-Time Series Record: 0-0

FOLLOW LIVE
Listen: Gamecocks Radio Network - 91.9 WLJS & 97.9 WVOK
Watch: ESPN3
Live Stats: Click Here
 
GAME NOTES
Jacksonville State Notes
SMU Notes

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Tipoff Tidbits

• Head coach Ray Harper enters tonight's game with a 498-163 career record. He is entering his 21st season as a college head coach and fourth with the Gamecocks. The mark includes his Division II and NAIA head coach records, with his Division I head coaching record standing at 156-100.

• JSU is coming off one of its best seasons in its Division I history. In 2018-19, the Gamecocks won a program-best 24 games, finished third in the Ohio Valley Conference (their highest regular-season finish in D-I), and eclipsed the 20-win mark for the third season in a row for the first time since its D-II era.

• Jacksonville State is predicted to finish third in the OVC by the league's coaches and sports information directors, while the conference's media members picked the Gamecocks to finish fourth in the preseason poll. 

• The Gamecocks enter the 2019-20 campaign with just one returning starter, five returning letterwinners and eight newcomers. Among the four starters lost, single-season rebounding and scoring leader Jason Burnell is included. It's the most newcomers Harper has had on a roster since welcoming eight to Jacksonville in 2017 when the Gamecocks won their first OVC crown.

A win would…

• Give Jacksonville State a 9-16 record in season openers since joining the Division I ranks in 1995-96.
• Make Ray Harper 3-1 in season openers with the Gamecocks.
• Give Ray Harper his 499th career head coaching win.

About SMU

• Tuesday's meeting with the Mustangs is the first between the two programs.
• SMU is 37-10 in regular-season non-conference games under head coach Tim Jankovich, including a 31-3 mark at Moody Coliseum.
• JSU is 0-1 against the SMU head coach, falling 60-47 at Jankovich-led Illinois State on Nov. 8, 2010 under then-head coach James Green.
• The Mustangs return three starters, including Ethan Chargois (12.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.7 blocks) and Isiaha Mike (11.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.1 blocks, 0.9 steals, 36.8% 3FGs).
• SMU does not have any seniors this season. 

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