Preview: Jacksonville State Looks to Sweep Season Series at Louisiana Tech RUSTON, La. (Interstat) — A pivotal Conference USA men’s basketball matchup with postseason implications awaits Wednesday night when the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs host the Jacksonville State Gamecocks at the Thomas Assembly Center. Both teams enter the 7 p.m. tipoff looking to rebound from weekend losses and improve their positioning in the conference standings. Louisiana Tech (14-11, 5-5 CUSA) fell 77-64 at Florida International on Saturday. Jacksonville State (13-12, 5-5 CUSA) dropped a 79-70 home decision to New Mexico State the same day. The Gamecocks will aim for a regular-season sweep after edging the Bulldogs 64-60 in Jacksonville on Jan. 17. In that contest, Jacksonville State’s defense held Louisiana Tech to 36.2% shooting from the field. A key player to watch for the visiting Gamecocks is guard JaCoby Hill, who is coming off a 21-point performance in the loss to New Mexico State. Over his last seven games, Hill is averaging 12.4 points and has scored in double figures in five of those contests, including a 16-point effort in a road loss at Missouri State on Jan. 31. Louisiana Tech will counter with guard AJ Bates, who leads the team in assists. Bates posted 14 points and four assists against FIU and has been a consistent facilitator, dishing out five or more assists in four of his last seven outings. His playmaking will be crucial against a Jacksonville State team that has shown defensive resilience. The Bulldogs have been strong at home this season, boasting a 10-3 record in Ruston. Jacksonville State, however, has proven capable on the road with notable conference wins at Western Kentucky and Florida International in late January. Both teams sit at .500 in league play, making this a critical contest for seeding ahead of the Conference USA tournament next month. The matchup features two of the league’s more efficient backcourts, with Hill’s scoring punch for Jacksonville State facing off against Bates’s distribution for Louisiana Tech. Following this game, Louisiana Tech travels to face Kennesaw State on Saturday, while Jacksonville State visits Sam Houston.