JACKSONVILLE, Ala. (Interstat) — A pair of teams looking to build momentum in Conference USA play will meet Saturday when the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs visit the Jacksonville State Gamecocks at Pete Mathews Coliseum.

Louisiana Tech (10-7) enters on a modest two-game winning streak, most recently edging Middle Tennessee 59-58 on Wednesday. The Bulldogs have relied heavily on guard DJ Dudley, who scored 19 points in that victory. Over his last seven games, Dudley is averaging 15.6 points and has scored in double figures in six of them.

Jacksonville State (8-9) seeks to rebound from a 77-62 home loss to Sam Houston on Wednesday. The Gamecocks have shown flashes, including a 3-1 stretch in late December, but have dropped two of their last three. Their offense is powered by guard Mostapha El Moutaouakkil, who is coming off a 17-point performance and has averaged over 18 points per game in his last three contests.

The Bulldogs have struggled on the road this season, with all seven of their losses coming away from home. Their conference wins have been narrow, needing overtime to defeat Delaware 70-68 on Jan. 10 before the one-point win over Middle Tennessee.

Jacksonville State has been inconsistent at home, posting a 5-4 record in Jacksonville. Their conference victories include a 78-67 win over Western Kentucky and a 71-64 decision against Florida International earlier this month.

This matchup is the first of a regular-season series between the teams, who will meet again in Ruston on Feb. 18. Saturday’s game represents a critical opportunity for both squads to climb above .500 in league play and establish positioning in the conference standings.

Tipoff is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026.