Jaron Pierre Jr. scored 19 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead No. 2 seed Jacksonville State to a 65-56 win over No. 10 seed Florida International on Wednesday night in a Conference USA Tournament quarterfinal.

BOTTOM LINE: Jacksonville State and Florida International play in the CUSA Tournament. The Gamecocks are 12-6 against CUSA opponents and 8-5 in non-conference play. Jacksonville State is fifth in the CUSA with 9.2 offensive rebounds per game led by Mason Nicholson averaging 2.5.

Daeshun Ruffin scored 29 points to lead No. 2 seed Jackson State to a 91-76 win against seventh-seeded Florida A&M in a Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament quarterfinal

As a high school player in Kentucky, Quel’Ron House helped lead Seneca High to its first state championship appearance since the 60s with a 31-point triple-double to advance his team. Jacksonville State coach Ray Harper took notice of that,