JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State women's basketball team will open the 2021-22 season at home against the AUM Warhawks on Tuesday, Nov. 9, at 11:30 a.m. in a Kid's Education Day game in THE PETE.
The Gamecocks are fresh off a 15-9 overall record and 12-7 mark in the OVC in 2020-21, prior to moving to the ASUN conference this season.
JSU returns nine players from a squad that finished fourth in the OVC last season. Joining the veterans is a group of four newcomers that feature three freshman and one sophomore transfer.
Prior to beginning its conference slate on Jan.5, the Gamecocks embark on a 13-game nonconference schedule beginning with the Warhawks on Tuesday. It marks the third all-time meeting between the two schools, but the first in THE PETE. The two first met during the 1987-88 season when the Gamecocks were Division II members. The series is tied 1-1 with both previous meeting being in Montgomery. JSU fell 82-86 in the first meeting but won the second, 94-73. In addition to meeting twice in the 80s, the Gamecocks hosted AUM in an exhibition on Nov. 1, 2018, winning 66-42.
In Jax State's tune-up exhibition against Birmingham Southern last week, the Gamecocks featured seven players scoring in double-figures. Senior
Imari Martin led the charge in the 127-65 win with a game-high 20 points. Freshman Bre'Anna Rhodes added 14 while redshirt senior
Kennedy Gavin contributed 13. Senior
Kyra Williams and sophomore
Keiara Griffin added 12 each followed by 10 each from seniors
Kiana Johnson and
Kaiya Burnett. Gavin and junior
Winnie Kuimi each hauled in a team-high nine rebounds. Junior Nekiyah Thompson led the side in assists with six. The Gamecocks totaled 15 steals in the contest, featuring five players with two.
Although the win over Birmingham Southern was an exhibition the 39 points scored in the first period was the most the Gamecocks have scored in a period since the NCAA made the change in the 2015-16 season. The 127 total points is the most points scored in a game, passing the previous record of 123. The records won't count as it was an exhibition, but the offensive output is a bright spot heading into the regular season.
The Warhawks defeated Huntington College in an exhibition contest on Oct. 27, 67-48. AUM finished just 2-13 during a COVID shortened season in 2020-21.
Tip-off against AUM is schedule for 5 p.m. CST. Links to live stats and other available sources will be available at JSUGamecockSports.com as well as shared across JSU's social media platforms when they become available. In-game updates are also available by following the women's basketball twitter account (@JaxStateWBB).
