JACKSONVILLE - Following a brief pause as a result of Ohio Valley Conference Covid-19 testing protocols, the Jacksonville State women's basketball team is set to return to action Thursday afternoon at UT Martin.
The Gamecocks (8-4, 5-3 OVC) last played on Jan. 25, a 69-58 win over Tennessee Tech at home. Overall, JSU is 5-0 at home this season, including a 72-67 win over the upcoming Skyhawks (11-3, 10-1 OVC) back on Dec. 30. The win for JSU snapped a 13-game losing streak that dated back to 2010.
Aside from JSU, the only team to beat the OVC preseason favorite this season has been nationally-ranked Louisville, twice. The Gamecocks will have a tall task ahead of them on the road this time inside the Elam Center on Thursday afternoon.
JSU leading scorer
Yamia Johnson enters averaging 16.6 points per game. It was in Martin, Tenn., last season where Johnson came off the bench for 32 points in a loss to UTM, marking the most points in a game by a Gamecock in 17 years. While JSU boasts plenty of offensive weapons such as senior
Taylor Hawks, who is narrowing in on 1,000 career points, the challenge will be slowing down UTM's attack.
Since the two schools last met in December, UTM has rolled off nine-straight wins over OVC foes by an average of 18 points each. Preseason Player of the Year nominee Chelsey Perry has accumulated five OVC Player of the Week honors for UTM, and enters with a league-best 25.7 points per game average.
Barring a third matchup in Evansville, Ind., next month at the OVC Tournament, Thursday's game could be the last between the two schools for the foreseeable future with Jax State's move to the ASUN Conference beginning next year. The JSU-UTM series dates back to 1983 when both were Division II members of the Gulf South Conference. The Skyhawks own the series lead, 21-18, as the two get set for the 40th overall meeting.
Thursday's contest is set to tip at 5 p.m. and will stream on ESPN+ and carried over the Gamecock Sports Network.
After UT Martin, JSU travels to Southeast Missouri for a Saturday midway matchup with the Redhawks.
