JACKSONVILLE, Fla. --- The Jacksonville women's basketball team starts its playoff journey Friday night at 7:30 PM ET against the Bellarmine Knights. The Dolphins and Knights will vie for a quarterfinal spot against the hosting Central Arkansas Sugar Bears.  Friday's contest is the third match-up between JU and Bellarmine this season and marks the second-straight year these two teams will face in the postseason.

Head-to-Head
Jacksonville and Bellarmine split the season series this year. In the first match-up, the Dolphins traveled to Louisville and won in an offensive shootout. Jacksonville outlasted the Knights 91-83, JU's highest scoring game under head coach Special Jennings. Senior guard Edyn Battle led the way with 23 points on the night, but it was a complete team effort. Three players scored in double figures, and all eight players who saw the floor scored at least six points.

In the return leg at Swisher Gymnasium, it was Bellarmine that came out on top. The game came down to the final minutes, with Battle giving the Dolphins a 63-61 lead with under six minutes left. The Knights rallied, though, and pulled away for the 78-73 win.

The Dolphins came out on top in last season's ASUN Tournament. Jacksonville blew by Bellarmine 79-62 in the play-in round, led by Battle's 24 points.

Players To Watch: Bellarmine
G Hayley Harrison
Harrison leads the Knights with 14.6 points per game. The Second-Team All-ASUN performer scored 30-plus points against North Alabama and West Georgia this season, showing the ability to take over a game. 

G Hope Sivori
Sivori also earned Second-Team All-ASUN honors, averaging 13.5 points per game. She's the best shooter in the ASUN, leading the league in three-point makes (86) and in three-point field goal percentage (35.5%). She scored 25 points against Jacksonville in the first matchup this season.

F Skylar Treadwell
Treadwell was one of the most productive post players in the league, averaging 13.4 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. She ended the regular season with five double-doubles in her last six games. She earned Third-Team All-ASUN honors.

By The Numbers

• Bellarmine were the third highest-scoring team in ASUN play, averaging 74.7 points per game. The Knights were also the worst defensive team in the league, allowing 75.1 points per game.
• Both teams are among the league's best on the boards. JU averaged 38.8 rebounds per game in ASUN play, and Bellarmine averaged 38.4. However, Jacksonville's rebounding margin was second-best in the league at 4.1, while the Knights were bottom three with -2.9.

How To Watch
The game will be streamed on ESPN+. Links to the stream and live stats can be found on JUDolphins.com.