Monday, December 11
Charleston, SC
6 P.M.
Jacksonville State University
at
College of Charleston
Jax State Concludes Road Stretch in Charleston
12/10/2023 9:23:00 AM | Women's Basketball
CHARLESTON, S.C. – Following a week of practice after last Sunday's 65-51 loss at Samford, Gamecock women's basketball returns to action on Monday night with a non-conference bout at the College of Charleston. That contest in the Palmetto State will tip-off at 6 p.m. CT at TD Arena in Charleston, S.C.
The Jacksonville State (3-5) women's basketball's squad had a busy final week of November. They opened play out of Thanksgiving break with a tight matchup at UAB on Monday, Nov. 27, coming up just short in an 85-78 overtime heartbreaker. Several performers shined three days later at Alabama State, however, helping the program earn its first road win at ASU with a 74-53 triumph. Then, their Sunday setback against the Bulldogs ended their stretch of three in-state games in seven days.
"Our team's intentions have been good this week," head coach Rick Pietri said. "Through film, we were able to display that we surrendered a lot of points (to Samford) in manners that we should not have. We didn't adhere to specific assignments, and we suffered extensively from that. I felt that we had been going in the right direction, but the Samford game was a step back for us. To try to correct it on the road against a team as gifted as College of Charleston will be a test."
Graduate transfer Rachel Johnson scored a season-best 12 points on four made three-pointers at Samford, capping off a productive week for the Red-and-White. The Eufaula, Ala., native averaged 10.3 points and shot 9-of-16 (56.3%) from beyond the arc in those three games. She was not the only Gamecock who impressed in that busy week, though. Junior forward Bre'Anna Rhodes posted a career-high 20 points in her hometown of Montgomery on Thursday at Alabama State and Kristol Ayson added 15 versus the Blazers on Monday.
Ayson's 9.6 points per game continues to lead the team in scoring, but Rhodes (8.1) and Keiara Griffin (7.3) are on her heels offensively. Mya Barnes has the best per-game rebounding average at 5.3, but the Shelton State transfer has been battling injuries this season and has not played since Nov. 12 at Mississippi State. Griffin (38) and Rhodes (34) are tops on the squad in total rebounds, while Griffin and Ayson are tied for the most steals with 11 each.
As Jax State enters its final three weeks of non-league action, they will look to right the ship a bit with a win over a much-improved College of Charleston (5-2) bunch.
The Cougars are a perfect 3-0 at home after scoring wins over Pfeiffer (117-30), Gardner-Webb (90-78), and N.C. Wesleyan (112-40) thus far. Their only losses came in hostile environments, losing 85-60 at UNLV on Nov. 10 and falling 77-73 at Appalachian State on Tuesday. In addition to their home wins, CofC topped cross-town rival Charleston Southern, 70-60, and held off Coastal Carolina in overtime, 84-83, on the road.
Fifth-year head coach Robin Harmony has pieced together one of the best offenses in the nation this season. Their 86.6 points per game ranks 11th in the country and the Cougars' entire starting five averages double-digits scoring, led by guard Jenna Annechiarico who has scored 17.0 points per game through six outings. 6-foot-3 center Lara Rohkohl has been dominant inside as well and has a team-best 7.0 rebounds per contest.
"They are really good," Pietri said of the Cougars. "They're an incredible offensive team. They have multiple players who can create offense for themselves. They are a problem."
Jacksonville State leads the all-time series with College of Charleston, 3-2, but the two sides have not met in this millennium. The Gamecocks won a pair of showdowns in the 1995-96 season, including a 74-73 triumph in Charleston, but have lost two of the last three. Pietri won his only previous matchup against CofC. His 2006-07 South Alabama team defeated the Cougars 63-51 in the 2006 LIU Turkey Classic, a Thanksgiving Invitational held at Long Island.
Monday's game will be broadcast on FloHoops (subscription required) and Logan Maddox will handle the Gamecock Sports Network broadcast. Links to listen, watch, or follow along with live stats will be provided at JaxStateSports.com. In addition, score updates will be posted on Jax State Women's Basketball's X account (@JaxStateWBB).
To stay up-to-date with the Gamecocks, follow their Facebook (Jacksonville State Women's Basketball), Instagram (@JaxStateWBB), and X (@JaxStateWBB) accounts.
The Jacksonville State (3-5) women's basketball's squad had a busy final week of November. They opened play out of Thanksgiving break with a tight matchup at UAB on Monday, Nov. 27, coming up just short in an 85-78 overtime heartbreaker. Several performers shined three days later at Alabama State, however, helping the program earn its first road win at ASU with a 74-53 triumph. Then, their Sunday setback against the Bulldogs ended their stretch of three in-state games in seven days.
"Our team's intentions have been good this week," head coach Rick Pietri said. "Through film, we were able to display that we surrendered a lot of points (to Samford) in manners that we should not have. We didn't adhere to specific assignments, and we suffered extensively from that. I felt that we had been going in the right direction, but the Samford game was a step back for us. To try to correct it on the road against a team as gifted as College of Charleston will be a test."
Graduate transfer Rachel Johnson scored a season-best 12 points on four made three-pointers at Samford, capping off a productive week for the Red-and-White. The Eufaula, Ala., native averaged 10.3 points and shot 9-of-16 (56.3%) from beyond the arc in those three games. She was not the only Gamecock who impressed in that busy week, though. Junior forward Bre'Anna Rhodes posted a career-high 20 points in her hometown of Montgomery on Thursday at Alabama State and Kristol Ayson added 15 versus the Blazers on Monday.
Ayson's 9.6 points per game continues to lead the team in scoring, but Rhodes (8.1) and Keiara Griffin (7.3) are on her heels offensively. Mya Barnes has the best per-game rebounding average at 5.3, but the Shelton State transfer has been battling injuries this season and has not played since Nov. 12 at Mississippi State. Griffin (38) and Rhodes (34) are tops on the squad in total rebounds, while Griffin and Ayson are tied for the most steals with 11 each.
As Jax State enters its final three weeks of non-league action, they will look to right the ship a bit with a win over a much-improved College of Charleston (5-2) bunch.
The Cougars are a perfect 3-0 at home after scoring wins over Pfeiffer (117-30), Gardner-Webb (90-78), and N.C. Wesleyan (112-40) thus far. Their only losses came in hostile environments, losing 85-60 at UNLV on Nov. 10 and falling 77-73 at Appalachian State on Tuesday. In addition to their home wins, CofC topped cross-town rival Charleston Southern, 70-60, and held off Coastal Carolina in overtime, 84-83, on the road.
Fifth-year head coach Robin Harmony has pieced together one of the best offenses in the nation this season. Their 86.6 points per game ranks 11th in the country and the Cougars' entire starting five averages double-digits scoring, led by guard Jenna Annechiarico who has scored 17.0 points per game through six outings. 6-foot-3 center Lara Rohkohl has been dominant inside as well and has a team-best 7.0 rebounds per contest.
"They are really good," Pietri said of the Cougars. "They're an incredible offensive team. They have multiple players who can create offense for themselves. They are a problem."
Jacksonville State leads the all-time series with College of Charleston, 3-2, but the two sides have not met in this millennium. The Gamecocks won a pair of showdowns in the 1995-96 season, including a 74-73 triumph in Charleston, but have lost two of the last three. Pietri won his only previous matchup against CofC. His 2006-07 South Alabama team defeated the Cougars 63-51 in the 2006 LIU Turkey Classic, a Thanksgiving Invitational held at Long Island.
Monday's game will be broadcast on FloHoops (subscription required) and Logan Maddox will handle the Gamecock Sports Network broadcast. Links to listen, watch, or follow along with live stats will be provided at JaxStateSports.com. In addition, score updates will be posted on Jax State Women's Basketball's X account (@JaxStateWBB).
To stay up-to-date with the Gamecocks, follow their Facebook (Jacksonville State Women's Basketball), Instagram (@JaxStateWBB), and X (@JaxStateWBB) accounts.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
Forward
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Forward
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