HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Jacksonville State women's basketball opens play in the Conference USA Women's Basketball Championship on Thursday morning in Huntsville. The fifth-seeded Gamecocks will take on four-seed Louisiana Tech in the quarterfinals with tip-off at Propst Arena set for 11:30 a.m.
 
Jax State (12-16, 7-9) bounced back from a 1-5 start to CUSA action by winning six of their final ten games to finish tied for fourth in the league standings. The regular season was capped off last Saturday with a thrilling overtime triumph on Senior Day. Though Sam Houston rallied from a late double-digit deficit to force overtime, the Gamecocks used big performances from veterans in the extra period to pull away in a 74-70 win. Madison McCoy had career highs with 19 points and nine rebounds while Kristol Ayson produced a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double and Bre'Anna Rhodes added 16 points and six boards.
 
That victory at Pete Mathews Coliseum, paired with losses by UTEP and Western Kentucky, helped the Red-and-White clinch the five-seed for this week's league tourney in the Rocket City. They will face a tough test in their first contest in Huntsville, however, as they meet a team that beat them soundly in their two regular season meetings.
 
Rhodes remains the team's leader in scoring (8.4 points per game) and rebounding (4.7 rebounds per game). Ayson (8.0 ppg) and Rachel Johnson (6.1 ppg) are just behind her offensively while Asia Barclay (4.4 rpg) and Mya Barnes (4.1 rpg) trail her in crashing the boards. For Jacksonville State to come out on top versus Louisiana Tech (13-18, 7-9), the usual suspects will need big outings once again.
 
The Lady Techsters had a rough non-conference slate but picked up several big wins in conference action en route to earning the tournament's four-seed. Two of their seven CUSA results came against the Gamecocks, as they thumped them, 67-53, in Ruston in mid-January, then tallied a 61-51 decision at The Pete a month later.
 
In both of those losses against Louisiana Tech, Rick Pietri's squad struggled to find consistent shooting. They went just 17-of-49 (34.7%) from the field in the first showdown and shot just 14-of-46 (30.4%) with only four three-pointers in the second pairing. And, in both games, LA Tech's veteran leadership shined. First-Team All-Conference selection Anna Larr Roberson averaged 20 points and 4.5 rebounds in those two contests and, in each win, was helped out by role players who produced big time performances.
 
Jax State is 5-8 in conference tournament games under Pietri. Last season, they fell in the First Round of the ASUN Tournament to Kennesaw State, 82-73. Under Pietri, the team made runs to the ASUN Finals in 2021-22 and the Ohio Valley Conference Semifinals in 2013-14 and 2017-18.
 
In addition, the Gamecocks are 15-10 all-time in Huntsville with each of those previous matchups coming against either Alabama A&M or Alabama-Huntsville. They have had success of late in Madison County, as their last loss there occurred in a 69-56 shocker at AAMU on Nov. 22, 2008.
 
Thursday's game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Noah Frary and Kelley Deyo 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 will be posted on Jax State Women's Basketball's X account (@JaxStateWBB).

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