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JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State men's basketball team will get its 2010-11 season underway on Saturday at 7:45 p.m., when the Gamecocks host West Alabama. Admission to the game is free with a ticket stub from Saturday's JSU vs. Southeast Missouri football game.

The Gamecocks open the season against West Alabama for the second year in a row at Pete Mathews Coliseum, extending the second-longest rivalry in school history. The former Division II rivals square off for the 99th time in a series that has seen JSU win 70 percent of the meetings and four in a row. JSU holds a 42-10 advantage in the series at home and has won the last 14 meetings in Pete Mathews Coliseum.

JSU claimed a 29-point win over the Tigers in last year's season opener, a game that saw five Gamecocks score in double figures. Stephen Hall led all players with 19 points. Hall, now a junior for the Gamecocks, was the driving force behind a 75-68 exhibition win last week over West Georgia, as well. The Birmingham, Ala., native scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the win, while junior B.J. Miller added 14 from the point guard spot for JSU.

JSU returns a pair of successful seniors to the floor in 2010-11, led by forward Nick Murphy. Already a member of the school's 1,000 Points Club, the Bronx, N.Y., native needs just 118 points and 32 rebounds to become the school's Division I career leader in each category.

Guard Jeremy Bynum is already the Gamecocks' career 3-pointers made leader at the Div. I level. The Oxford, Ala., native is knocking on the door of scoring 1,000 points, needing just 152 points to reach the milestone.

The Tigers are led by Alquan Mendenhall, who is their leading returning scorer after averaging 11.2 points per game a year ago. The sophomore from Pine Hill, Ala., was 84-188 from behind the arc last year.

The game will be broadcast live on the JSU Radio Network with Mike Parris calling the action. Live audio can also be found online at www.jsugamecocksports.com.