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JACKSONVILLE, Fla — The Jacksonville Dolphins (9-16, 4-8 ASUN) men’s basketball team travels south for a Sunshine State showdown against the Stetson Hatters, on Wednesday, at 7:00 p.m. EST.

This game marks the first meeting of the season between the two schools, with the rematch set for February 26 at Swisher Gymnasium. The Hatters and Dolphins will face off for the 103rd time, the longest rivalry in Jacksonville program history. Jacksonville leads the overall series 60-42, though the last 10 match ups are split evenly.

In 2025, the Dolphins swept both meetings with the Hatters. Chris Arias delivered two double-digit performances, totaling 25 points and hitting 7-13 from three-point range. The series also marked Arias’ first career ASUN conference start.

Last Time Out

Jacksonville dropped its second matchup against West Georgia on Saturday. After the Dolphins won the first meeting 75-43, the Wolves responded with an 87-73 victory in Carrollton. The loss moved Jacksonville into a four-way tie for eighth place with the other Florida ASUN teams.

Despite the loss, guard Jaylen Jones matched his career high, with a season-best scoring performance of 19 points. Over his past two games, the junior has tallied 31 points while shooting an impressive 56.5% from the field, along with adding six rebounds and five assists.

ASUN standout Shelton Williams-Dryden scored 24 points on 9-of-17 shooting and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds for West Georgia. After being limited to eight points and four rebounds in the first meeting with the Dolphins, Williams-Dryden returned to form and continues to lead the ASUN in both points and rebounds.

Jacksonville’s 29 fouls in the game marked the highest total in ASUN conference play this season.

Hatters By The Numbers

This season the Hatters rank tenth in the ASUN in both scoring offense (72.8 points per game) and defense (81.4 points allowed). In conference play, they are sixth in three-point percentage (36.9%) and boast the league’s best three-point defense, holding opponents to just 32% shooting from deep.

Jamie Phillips Jr. stands out for the Hatters, averaging 16 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. However, he has played in only four conference games; Stetson is 3-1 with Phillips and 1-7 without him, underscoring his value to the team.

Beyond Phillips, Collin Kuhl and Ethan Copeland have both contributed over 14 points per game in conference play.

Kuhl ranks eighth in the ASUN in scoring at 16.3 points per game and leads the Hatters in both offensive and defensive rebounds. His 6.5 rebounds per game are tied for third in the conference.

Copeland anchors the defense, ranking second in the conference with 28 steals. He is also the team’s top perimeter threat, leading in both three-pointers made and attempted, and ranking fourth in the ASUN with 3.1 makes per game.

Forwards Finley Sheridan and Calvin Sirmans III join Kuhl and Copeland as the only Hatters to start all 12 conference games this season.

Florida’s Four-Way Tie

The four Florida-based ASUN teams — FGCU, Jacksonville, North Florida and Stetson — are currently tied for eighth in the conference, each with a 4-8 record.

T8 Florida Gulf Coast (4-8)
T8 Jacksonville (4-8)
T8 Stetson (4-8)
T8 North Florida (4-8)

Five of Jacksonville’s final six games are against the other three Florida schools, with home-and-away matchups against Stetson and UNF, plus a rematch with FGCU next Wednesday. The lone exception is a game against ASUN’s highest-ranked team, Austin Peay.

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The Dolphins feature the ASUN’s top scoring defense, allowing just 71.9 points per game in conference play. Jacksonville also ranks sixth in opponent field goal percentage (47%). The team looks to bounce back after surrendering its two highest scoring totals in ASUN action.

Jacksonville ranks among the league leaders in blocked shots, averaging 3.1 per game. Jason Thirdkill Jr. leads the way, ranking tied for fifth in the ASUN with one block per game. His defensive presence makes it tough for opponents to score inside, and he is 13th in the conference in total rebounds.

Despite a significant offseason roster overhaul, Jacksonville remains one of the deepest teams in the country. The Dolphins rank 25th nationally in bench points per game and lead the ASUN with 31.4 bench points per contest.

Hayden Wood has made an immediate impact for Jacksonville, averaging over 20 minutes, 12.3 points and 3.2 rebounds per game in conference play. He is a consistent threat from beyond the arc, leading the Dolphins in three-pointers made and three-point percentage (42.0%), and has started a team-high 24 games.

Jacksonville owns the second-best rebounding margin in the ASUN through 12 conference games, despite having the third-fewest total team rebounds. The Dolphins’ stifling defense makes possessions valuable and slows the game to their preferred pace.