This week, Jacksonville State looks to do what Kansas could not do. That’s win on Missouri’s home floor.
Tonight, the Missouri Tigers (9-1) welcome the Jacksonville State Gamecocks (6-4) at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Mo. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CDT.
Thought this is the first meeting between the two schools in men’s basketball, Jax State holds a 1-43 record all time versus current SEC opponents. The Gamecocks last matched up with an SEC foe on November 18, 2022 when No. 16 Alabama won 104-62 at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The lone Jax State win against an SEC opponent came in 1952-53 when the Gamecocks defeated the Crimson Tide 67-64.
Players to Watch
For Jax State, it’s guard Jaron Pierre Jr, who ranks fourth in the country in scoring at 23.2 points per game. A native of New Orleans, La., the 6-foot-5 guard who arrived at Jax State via Southern Miss via Wichita State has reached the 30-point mark on two occasions this year and leads Conference USA in scoring.
Missouri features a cluster of players who are averaging in double digits. Leading the charge is guard Caleb Grill, who is tossing in 13.6 points per game across 21 minutes. Guard Tamar Bates chips in 13.3 points per game, while forward Mark Mitchell and guard Anthony Robinson II add 13.0 and 11.5, respectively. Seven-foot center Josh Gray is the Tigers’ leading rebounder at 5.3 points per game, while Robinson II leads the team in assists with 4.1 per game.
The Coaches
Jacksonville State is coached by Ray Harper, who has won over 580 games across a 25-year career and has led the Gamecocks to four 20-win seasons. Though Jacksonville State posted back-to-back losing campaigns in 2022-23 (13-18) and 2023-24 (14-18), the Gamecocks in 2024-25 have already notched wins against Georgia State, Coastal Carolina, and East Carolina. As well, all the team’s losses have been by six points or less.
Dennis Gates is in his third season as head coach at Missouri. In his first year in 2022-23, the Tigers went 25-10 (11-7 SEC) and made it to the second round of the NCAA tournament. Last season, the Tigers took a step back, posting an 8-24 overall record and going winless in the SEC. Gates seems to have righted the ship, as the Tigers are 9-1 on the young 2024-25 season, with a marquee win over #1/1 Kansas at Mizzou Arena on December 8.
Prior to becoming the head coach at Missouri, Gates served as the head coach at Cleveland State from 2019-22. He posted a 50-40 record as head coach of the Vikings of the Horizon League.
Here are the game details for Tuesday’s matchup:
Jax State (6-4, 0-0 CUSA) vs (RV) Missouri (9-1, 0-0 SEC)
When: Tuesday, December 17 | 6:30 PM
Where: Mizzou Arena | Jacksonville, Mo.
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Tickets: Click Here
TV: SECN+
Radio: Listen to all the action on the Gamecock Sports Network as “The Voice” Mike Parris returns behind the mic for his 42nd season calling play-by-play action of Gamecock Basketball. Anchor stations for the Gamecock Sports Network include 91.9 WLJS (Jacksonville), WVOK 97.9 (Anniston/Oxford), WKXX 102.9 (Attalla/Gadsden), 95.5 WRBZ (Montgomery/Wetumpka), 95.3/94.7 WCRL (Oneonta), 97.7 WKXM (Winfield) and 107.1 WRAB (Arab). TG
Photo courtesy Jax State Athletics.
