JACKSONVILLE – A pivotal matchup takes place at Pete Mathews Coliseum on Saturday when Jax State hosts the Flames of Liberty in a 4 p.m. tip-off.
 
The Gamecocks (10-10, 2-3 CUSA) are trying to snap a three-game skid after opening league play with back-to-back victories. One of those earlier January wins came on the road at preseason favorite Liberty (13-7, 2-3 CUSA), who is working to climb back through the standings after difficult introduction to conference action.
 
A budding rivalry between the former ASUN Conference and now CUSA foes, Saturday marks the fifth meeting between the two schools since they first met in 2022. The series sits tied at 2-2 after Jax State's 61-51 victory in Lynchburg just 17 days ago. The Gamecocks held the Flames to their lowest point total in more than 50 games. Another low-scoring affair may be in order on Saturday with both teams owning some of the toughest scoring defenses in the nation. The Flames rank 13th nationally allowing just 63.3 points, while the Gamecocks are just behind at 19th, also holding opponents below 64 points at 63.9.
 
Jax State stumbled on the road at Middle Tennessee Wednesday night in a 67-75 setback. However, junior Caleb Johnson provided a bright spot with his career-high 17 points off the bench. With senior Juwan Perdue moving up to the team's second-leading scorer, KyKy Tandy remains atop the entire conference averaging 18.4 points per game.
 
The 4 p.m. game broadcast on ESPN+ with radio coverage available over the Gamecock Sports Network.