JACKSONVILLE – Following a tough road swing to begin ASUN Conference play, the Jacksonville State men's basketball team returns to Pete Mathews Coliseum on Saturday night with an 8 p.m. tip-off against Bellarmine.
 
JSU (7-9, 0-3 ASUN) tries to break out of an offensive slump against the Knights (6-10, 1-2 ASUN) after back-to-back season lows for points in its first two games of the 2023 calendar year. The Gamecocks are 2-0 all-time against BU, sweeping both meetings last season during its championship campaign.
 
The top two seeds from the ASUN's defunct west division a season ago, collide on Saturday looking to turnaround difficult starts in league play. With the addition of Austin Peay and Queens to the conference, instead of the league's 12 teams going to postseason play like last season, only 10 of the ASUN's now-14 members will reach the conference tournament.
 
Saturday's 8 p.m. tip is the backend of a men's and women's doubleheader, which will follow JSU's women hosting Queens at 5:45. For fans unable to make it to The Pete, Saturday's contest streams on ESPN+ and broadcast over the airways on the Gamecock Sports Network with Mike Parris on the call. Live stats are also available at JSUGamecockSports.com.
 
JSU's Skyelar Potter led the Gamecocks with 11 points in Thursday's loss at Liberty for his team-best 12th double-digit scoring game of the season. The Bowling Green, Ky., native, is second on the squad averaging 14.4 points, just behind fellow senior Demaree King at 14.8. On the glass, junior Juwan Perdue ranks third in the conference in rebounding at 7.6 boards per game.
 
Saturday marks the first of three-straight home games for Jax State, a span that continues with contests against North Florida (Jan. 12) and Jacksonville (Jan. 14). JSU is 5-1 at The Pete this season, and looks to build upon that success in front of large home crowds over the next week.
 
The Gamecocks and Bellarmine will conclude the season series in Louisville, Ky., next month on Feb. 4.