JACKSONVILLE – A pivotal battle near the top of the Conference USA standings takes place Saturday afternoon when Jax State hosts Louisiana Tech at 4 p.m. inside Pete Mathews Coliseum.
 
The Gamecocks (10-8) and Bulldogs (12-6) are off to identical 2-1 starts in CUSA action. Jax State is coming off a split on the road falling to Western Kentucky, but also knocking off preseason favorite Liberty.
 
Saturday's game marks the first all-time meeting between the two programs, creating an early clash between two squads that may see each other again in mid-March. The Gamecocks lead the league in scoring defense, a staple head coach Ray Harper prides his team on being built upon. Along with presenting the toughest defense, Jax State also rolls out the top scorer across CUSA in graduate transfer KyKy Tandy averaging 19.4 points per game.
 
The Bulldogs, who edged Liberty in overtime on Sunday, will test Jax State's strength bringing one of the better frontcourts around into The Pete on Saturday with Isaiah Crawford and Daniel Batcho. The duo each rank in the top six in the conference in points per game, rebounds per game, field goal percentage, and blocks per game, combining for 30.1 points and 16.2 boards per contest.
 
Saturday's action tips at 4:00 from Pete Mathews Coliseum and broadcast on ESPN+. Single game tickets for Jax State basketball begin at $8 for general admission seats purchased online prior to game day. Reserved seats are available for $12.50 with early purchase. On the day of the game, tickets are available at the coliseum ticket office window beginning at $10.