Hatters set to host Jacksonville State in final West Division matchup

DeLand, Fla. -- The Stetson University men's basketball team gets set to wrap up its 2022 ASUN West Division contests Wednesday evening as the Hatters host Jacksonville State University at the Edmunds Center. Tip-off is set 7:30 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.

Recap
Stetson's men's hoops team comes off a long road trip in which the Hatters went 1-1 against Lipscomb and Central Arkansas. Back on Feb. 3, Stetson topped the Bison 77-71 as Chase Johnston led all Hatters scorers with 18 points, going 4-for-8 from beyond the arc. Despite only going 2-for-14 from the field, Christiaan Jones tallied 14 points and went 10-for-11 from the stripe.

Two days later, the Hatters traveled to Conway, Ark. to face UCA at the Farris Center. After facing an 18-point deficit with less than 9:00 left in regulation, Stetson cut it to a one-possession game with 14 seconds left, but the Hatters were unable to complete the full comeback. Jones and Stephan Swenson led all Stetson scorers with 20 points each, a new career-high for Swenson, as he also tallied eight dimes. Johnston recorded another double figure game as the sophomore finished with 13 points while freshman Alvin Tumblin had 10 of his own.

Scouting the Gamecocks
Jacksonville State enters play on Wednesday, boasting the best record in the ASUN at 9-1 and an overall record of 16-7. The Gamecocks come off a two-game stretch in which North Florida handed JSU its first conference loss of the year 88-76, back on Feb. 3. JSU rebounded well and topped Jacksonville 64-58 on Feb. 5.

The Gamecocks sport a well-balanced offense as four players average double figures. Darian Adams leads JSU with an even 15.0 points per game while Demaree King and Jalen Gibbs tally 11.5 and 11.0 points per game, respectively. Brandon Huffman rounds out the Gamecocks offense as the senior forward puts up 10 points per game while also crashing the glass, averaging 6.0 boards on the year. As a team, the Gamecocks look to score when in possession as JSU is seventh in the league in assists per game with 14.7. The Gamecocks shoot 46.8 percent from the field, good for third in the ASUN, and they are the top team in the league from beyond the arc, shooting 40.2 percent. As much success as they have found from the field this season, JSU only shoots 66.4 percent from the stripe, the second worst mark in the ASUN.

All-Time Series
Wednesday's matchup between the Hatters and the Gamecocks will be the 13th all-time meeting between Stetson and JSU. The Gamecocks hold an 8-4 record over the Hatters in their previous 12 meetings, with the last one coming back on Dec. 7, 2002, as JSU topped Stetson 101-82 on the road in overtime. The Hatters look to end their two-game skid against JSU on Wednesday night.

Scouting the Hatters
Stetson enters Wednesday night's contest with a 4-6 record in ASUN action and is 10-13 overall. The Hatters look to go above .500 again at home as they currently sit at 6-6 at the Edmunds Center.

Johnston continues to put up good numbers for the Hatters as the sophomore tallies 13.2 points a game while Jones sits at an even 13.0. Tumblin and Josh Smith provide much needed offensive support for the Hatters as the pair puts up 6.8 and 6.1 points per game, respectively. As a team, Stetson shoots 44.3 percent from the field, good for eighth in the league and 34.3 percent from beyond the arc, good for ninth in the ASUN. However, the Hatters have the edge over JSU in free throw percentage as Stetson shoots 68.4 percent from the charity stripe, good for seventh in the conference.

Looking Ahead
After Wednesday's bout with the Gamecocks, the Hatters head to Fort Myers to take on FGCU for its first ASUN East Division rematch. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.

About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program is driven by a shared purpose. It is what inspires, motivates and binds us together. More than a task, a reason for being. THE HATTER PURPOSE is to create and provide an experience of a lifetime through teamwork and relationships to achieve excellence. This purpose is achieved through five Core Values: Communication, Integrity, Excellence, Value People and Commitment. To learn more about the HATS program and our Core Values, visit GoHatters.com/HATS.

Get in on the conversation on social media by following Stetson Athletics on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. For video content, visit our YouTube channels: Stetson Hatters, Stetson Athletics and, for live events, Hatter Vision.

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Players Mentioned

#11 Chase Johnston: G; 6' 3"; Sophomore

#0 Christiaan Jones: G; 6' 5"; Graduate Student

#12 Josh Smith: F; 6' 8"; Sophomore

#30 Stephan Swenson: G; 6' 2"; Sophomore

#35 Alvin Tumblin: F/C; 6' 7"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#11 Chase Johnston
: 6' 3"; Sophomore
: G

#0 Christiaan Jones
: 6' 5"; Graduate Student
: G

#12 Josh Smith
: 6' 8"; Sophomore
: F

#30 Stephan Swenson
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: G

#35 Alvin Tumblin
: 6' 7"; Freshman
: F/C

Stetson University Athletics

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Hatters set to host Jacksonville State in final West Division matchup

Players Mentioned

#11 Chase Johnston

#0 Christiaan Jones

#12 Josh Smith

#30 Stephan Swenson

#35 Alvin Tumblin

Players Mentioned

#11 Chase Johnston

#0 Christiaan Jones

#12 Josh Smith

#30 Stephan Swenson

#35 Alvin Tumblin