JACKSONVILLE, Ala. — Tied for second place in Conference USA after dropping a home game to UTEP on Wednesday night, the Jax State men's basketball team looks to defend its home floor to wrap up a three-game homestand Saturday evening against New Mexico State at 4 p.m.
After achieving its largest margin of victory against a Division I opponent over Kennesaw State last Saturday, the Gamecocks fell 69-64 to the UTEP Miners at home in its most recent contest despite shooting over 44 percent from the field and from beyond the arc.
Jax State had struggles at the free throw line in the back-and-forth affair, shooting 8-for-14 (57 percent) from the charity stripe, its lowest of league play, compared to the Miners who sank 14-of-19 (74 percent) attempts from the line.
Despite the loss, the Gamecocks had four players score in double figures, led by
AC Bryant's 17 points, off 7-for-13 shooting from the floor including a trio of three-pointers.
Mostapha El Moutaouakkil (16 points),
Jacoby Hill (10) and
Jaye Nash (10) each reached double-digit point totals as well.
After having just one game in double figures all season up until the end of January, Nash has scored 10 points or more in his last four games in a row, highlighted by a career-high 19-point performance against Kennesaw State, along with compiling 13 assists during the span as well.
Additionally,
Iaroslav Niagu has recently been a big difference maker for the Gamecocks on the glass, grabbing seven rebounds or more in four of his last five games, including back-to-back games with 12 boards against Western Kentucky and Kennesaw State. In those five games, Jax State has won the rebound battle as a team four times.
New Mexico State comes into Saturday's contest as the last place team in Conference USA, holding an 11-13 overall record and a 4-10 league record. The Aggies have lost six of their last seven games, losing five of those games by nine points or less.
The Aggies rank third in the conference and 50
th in the country in three-point percentage defense, forcing teams to shoot 31 percent from beyond the arc. Additionally, New Mexico State is ranked third in Conference USA in free throw percentage, shooting 72 percent from the charity stripe.
The Aggies are led offensively by senior guard Jemel Jones, who averages 17.0 points per game, and has scored 23 points or more in his last three games.
