Preview: Southern Union State Bison at Gadsden State Cardinals

GADSDEN, Ala. (Interstat) — The Gadsden State Cardinals will look to complete a regular-season sweep and solidify their winning record when they host the Southern Union State Bison in a men’s junior college basketball game Thursday night.

The Cardinals (10-9) edged the Bison (7-18) 98-91 in their first meeting on Feb. 5. In that game, Southern Union’s Dash Thomas scored 21 points and grabbed seven rebounds, but Gadsden State’s balanced attack secured the road victory.

Southern Union State enters on an offensive high, coming off a 123-105 win over Coastal Alabama on Monday. Thomas erupted for a career-high 36 points in that victory, adding six rebounds and three assists. Don Tinsley added 27 points and seven assists, while Khalon Johnson posted a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds. The Bison’s season, however, has been defined by inconsistency, as the win snapped a three-game losing streak.

Gadsden State seeks to rebound from a lopsided 87-57 loss at Shelton State on Monday. In that defeat, Marcus Towns was a bright spot, recording a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. The Cardinals had won three of their previous four games prior to the Shelton State contest, showing an ability to score in wins over Calhoun and Coastal Alabama earlier in February.

The matchup features two of the conference’s top individual talents. Thomas, the dynamic guard for the Bison, has scored 20 or more points in three of his last five games and is averaging 22.4 points over that stretch. For the Cardinals, Towns provides a consistent interior presence, averaging a double-double over his last two outings.

Southern Union will aim to leverage its recent explosive scoring to overcome a Gadsden State team that won the first matchup largely at the free-throw line and with superior depth scoring. The Cardinals will look to defend their home court and improve to 11-9, while the Bison chase a rare winning streak and a measure of revenge.

Tip-off is set for Thursday, March 5, 2026.