A neighborhood rivalry will tip off 2025 for the LSUA basketball teams Saturday when LSUS rides down I-49 for an afternoon Red River Athletic Conference doubleheader at The Fort.

The wonen’s game starts at 1 with the men slated to follow at 3. Both are important matchups early in the RRAC race.

The LSUA men, ranked fifth nationally, lead the RRAC. The LSUA women are second in the conference and the LSUS women stand third.

“It’s a big game for us on Saturday to open up this new year,” LSUA coach Dimario Jackson said. “We have had some great practices leading up to this game. Every day our guys got better. LSU Shreveport is a very talented team. They have a lot of guys who can score the basketball. We have to be dialed in for the entirety of the game defensively.”

The Generals (13-1, 10-1 RRAC) won their last two games on the road against Texas A&M-San Antonio, 74-71, and No. 20 Our Lady of the Lake, 85-71. Kashie Natt leads LSUA in scoring (17.4 points per game) and rebounding (10.1 average) and EJ McQuillan is the other double-digit scorer at 13.2 per game.

LSUS enters 2025 with a record of 9-6, 6-5 in RRAC games and are 3-4 on the road. The Pilots split their final two games of 2024, dropping a 90-86 shootout in San Antonio to Our Lady of the Lake before capturing an 83-65 victory over Texas A&M-San Antonio.

The Pilots have six players, who have appeared in at least 10 games, averaging 10 or more points per game. Taj Anderson leads the Pilots’ offense with 18.9 points per game.

The women’s contest pits the second-place Lady Pilots (11-3, 10-1) against third-place LSUA (11-4, 8-3). Unbeaten Xavier is the RRAC leader.

Jewel Jones’ 13.7 scoring average leads a trio of Lady Generals in double digits, just ahead of Dannah Martin-Hartwick (13.3) and Benedetta Perrachi (13.1), who grabs a team-best 8.9 rebounds per game.

LSUS is also balanced with Selna Markisic at 11.9 points per game and Helena Galunic scoring 11.4 and leading in rebounding with a 6.9 average.

LOUISIANA COLLEGE:  The RRAC doubleheader scheduled for LCU Saturday at Texas College has been postponed due to the funeral service for the head coach of the Texas College men’s team, Walter Yates, who died Dec. 20. LCU’s season will resume next Thursday in San Antonio.