Georgia State will play host to Hampton University, Mississippi Valley State University and Troy University in the 17th annual GSU Invitational Tournament on Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 29 and 30 in the Sports Arena. MVSU and Troy play at 2 p.m. on Thursday with Hampton and GSU meeting at 4 in the championship game.
Hampton comes in as a favorite with a five-game win streak and victories over James Madison of the CAA, Florida of the SEC and East Carolina of C-USA this year. The Pirates were an NCAA Tournament team last year, marking Hampton's fourth NCAA bid since 2000.
Mississippi Valley State has played, literally, the No. 1 toughest non-conference schedule in basketball this year, so they are battle-tested. The Devilettes put a scare in Arkansas, bowing 55-54. They battled Ole Miss to the end, 68-57. On Monday, they jumped out on Mississippi State, 15-1, before the SEC squad rallied to win.
Troy is a long-time rival of GSU, as the teams have met 26 times in their histories.
Georgia State is 5-5 and is 3-3 at home, including two straight at home. GSU dropped the Thanksgiving Tournament championship game to Rice, 55-52.
GSU INVITATIONAL HISTORY
The first tournament was played in 1994-95 between the four Division I schools: UGA, Tech, Southern and State. No. 14-ranked UGA won that first tournament with crowds of 1,329 and 1,203 for a two-day total of 2,532.
GSU won the third-ever tournament and has won 11 of the 16 played. Last year, the Panthers won the title game over Maryland Eastern Shore.
This marks MVSU's sixth straight appearance in the Invitational.
200 and 500
Coach Sharon Baldwin-Tener enters the tournament with 199 career wins as a head coach and the team needs two more wins to post the 500th all-time win since women's basketball began in 1975-76.
DEFENSE
Georgia State ranks No. 13 in the country in blocked shots (5.6 per game), No. 17 in field goal percentage on defense (33.5), No. 45 in fewest points (55.7) and No. 64 in steals per game (11).
CHAN HAS A PLAN
Junior Chan Harris leads the team in scoring (14.5), rebounding (10.3), shooting (55.8 FG pct.) and blocking shots (18). That makes her No. 1 in the CAA in blocks and shooting, No. 2 in rebounding and No. 9 in scoring. In the NCAA, she is No. 23 in rebounds, No. 28 in shooting and No.35 in blocking shots.
LAST ONES
These two games will be the last non-conference games for Georgia State as they prepare to enter the 18-game CAA slate as the New Year rolls over.
As always, the CAA is one of the 10 best conferences of the 31 Division I leagues.
This year, the CAA is distinguishing itself with individual play. The league can claim the top three scorers in the NCAA right now (Dawn Evans of JMU at 26.1, Elena Delle Donne of Delaware at 26.0, and Courtney Hurt of VCU at 25.5). Hurt currently leads the NCAA in rebounding (13.4) to give the CAA that top spot as well. And, Evans led the NCAA last year in three-point baskets and is in the top three right now.
