HUNTSVILLE, Texas—Jax State will look to end a three-game slide Saturday afternoon when it takes on Sam Houston at 2:30 p.m.
 
The Gamecocks faced a 21-point deficit, their largest of the season during Wednesday's loss at LA Tech, but battled back to get the game within a possession in the final minute of play. Senior Mostapha El Moutaouakkil scored 27 points and was successful on a career-high four 3-pointers. AC Bryant was also in double figures with 17 points, going 5-of-10 from 3-point land.
 
Jax State scored 25 points off of LA Tech's 15 turnovers, but it was not enough to overcome a 38-18 deficit in points in the paint.  
 
El Moutaouakkil currently leads Conference USA in scoring at 18.3 points per game, just a tenth of a point per game ahead of Teagan Moore of Western Kentucky and three tenths ahead of Missouri State's Keith Palek III.
 
Sam Houston has won nine of their last 10, a streak that started with a 77-62 win over the Gamecocks at Pete Mathews Coliseum. The lone setback in that time is an 87-78 loss at LA Tech two weeks ago.
 
The leading scorer for the Bearkats in Po'Boigh King at 14 points per game, but Veljko Ilic put together a season-best performance against Jax State in the previous meeting with 18 points, going 9-of-10 from the field. The Loyola (Md.) transfer is averaging 11 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. He came up just one rebound shy of his fifth double-double in the win over Middle Tennessee on Wednesday with 15 points and nine rebounds.
 
Following Saturday's game, Jax State will return home for their last two games at Pete Mathews Coliseum this season with both being carried on national television.