Men’s Basketball Set for Season Opener Against LaGrange - Jacksonville State University Athletics

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – After a 235-day offseason, the Jax State men's basketball team is set to take the court inside Pete Mathews Coliseum on Monday night, facing off against the LaGrange Panthers for the first game of Jax State's 2026-27 season. Tip-off is set for approximately 7:30 p.m. and will come after the conclusion of the women's basketball game against Oglethorpe at 5 p.m.

The Gamecocks begin its 32-game regular season slate with almost an entirely new roster that features 14 newcomers and one returning redshirt. Jax State joins Western Michigan, Northern Illinois, Kansas City, Campbell, Rider and CUSA opponent FIU as the only Division I teams returning 0% of minutes this season.

Headliners for Jax State this season include transfer guards Chris Lockett Jr., Jordan Stiemke, Leon Horner and forward Naas Cunningham. The group have combined to play 198 games throughout their respective collegiate careers, with Stiemke being the most experienced of the bunch with 88 games under his belt at a 9.3 points per game clip.

Lockett brings valuable leadership to the team at the point guard position, following two years at Boise State and a most recent one-year stint at Jacksonville. Horner joins the Gamecocks after two seasons with Texas Tech, including back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances. Cunningham rounds out the squad with high expectations, being tabbed a No. 1 recruit in the country by ESPN in 2022.

During the preseason, Jax State took part in a pair of open exhibition contests against Alabama State and Samford, splitting the pair of matchups. Despite a 75-80 loss to the Bulldogs, the Gamecocks had three players scoring in double figures, with Horner and Stiemke combining for 42 points. Against the Hornets, the Gamecocks were able to outscore the opponent 38-13 in the second half to roll to a 59-37 victory at home, with Stiemke leading the squad with 17 points.

Head coach Ray Harper enters his 11^th season with the program, holding a 184-142 record with Jacksonville State. The veteran coach has led the Gamecocks to 22 conference victories in the last two seasons, which ranks third amongst the rest of the league. Additionally, Harper currently ranks No. 13 of active Division I coaches in all-time wins with 615, averaging 22.8 wins per season.

The Gamecocks have had great success recently in home openers, winning 12 in a row, dating back to the 2014-15 season. Jax State's most recent matchup against LaGrange in the 2024-25 season opener resulted in a 112-48 victory for Harper's squad, which is the third-largest margin of victory in team history.

Jax State will have a quick turnaround for its next contest, traveling to South Alabama to take on the Jaguars on Thursday, Nov. 5. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at Mitchell Center. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.

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Players Mentioned

Naas Cunningham

Leon Horner

Chris Lockett Jr.

Jordan Stiemke

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