JACKSONVILLE – Gamecock women's basketball will try to bounce back from Saturday's loss at FIU as they return home this week for the program's first ever Conference USA matchup at Pete Mathews Coliseum. That Wednesday showdown will pit Jacksonville State against visiting Liberty with tip-off set for 6:30 p.m.
 
Jax State (5-8, 0-1) could not slow down the league's top scoring offense Saturday in Miami. FIU raced out to a 15-point halftime lead and poured it on late, scoring a 75-50 victory to open CUSA play. Despite the loss, there was still a definite bright spot for the Red-and-White: junior forward Mya Barnes returned from injury, playing in her first contest since Nov. 12, and tallied career-highs with 14 points, four blocks, and three three-pointers.
 
Kristol Ayson remains the squad's leader in points per game with 8.4 but will look to get back in rhythm after totaling just six points over the last two games. Bre'Anna Rhodes is tied for the team's lead in rebounds (63) and is second (8.3 points per game) in scoring as well.

Rick Pietri's team will be without the services of Keiara Griffin, however, as she suffered a leg injury against FIU, so they will aim for big performances from other standouts as a battle-tested Flames (5-11, 0-1) squad makes the trip to Calhoun County.
 
"We'll need people to step up," Pietri said. "Mya Barnes stepped up for us in the FIU game. We'll see if we can have her and some additional people step up on Wednesday. There's no question, when you lose a starter who does a lot of positive things for you, you need somebody to try to fill that void."
 
Liberty struggled through a stout non-conference slate. According to RPI specialist Warren Nolan, they have faced the nation's fifth-toughest schedule to this point, falling to the likes of No. 3 NC State, No. 13 Texas, No. 15 Louisville, Alabama, and Tennessee. They held a 13-point advantage at halftime of Saturday's home game against Western Kentucky before eventually succumbing to a veteran Hilltoppers group, 68-66.
 
Longtime head coach Carey Green returned a plethora of talent from last year's WNIT team. 6-foot-6 forward Bella Smuda is tops in scoring (13.3 points per game) and rebounds (9.1 per game), and Preseason All-CUSA selection Emma Hess has also produced well, ranking first on the squad in three-pointers made (34) and second in points per game (11.8).
 
"Their record doesn't tell the full story of who they are," Pietri said of Liberty. "They've played the fifth-most difficult schedule out of 360 Division I teams. They're a well-coached, long-standing program and we know them. They're the one team in this league we know intimately. We know we have our hands full and it's on us to try to find a way to win it."
 
The Gamecocks are 1-2 all-time versus the Flames. Jax State suffered a slim loss at Liberty in the 2021-22 regular season, then shocked the second-seeded Flames at home in the ASUN Tournament Semifinals, 59-57, on a buzzer-beating layup by Kiana Johnson. Last season, the two soon-to-be CUSA rivals met in an overtime classic in Lynchburg, Va., in which Liberty won, 72-62, after the extra period.
 
Wednesday's game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Ray Hammett and Mickey Shadrix on the call, 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 and highlights will be posted on Jax State Women's Basketball's X account (@JaxStateWBB).
 
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