Men's Basketball Travels to California For 2K Empire Classic Regional Games

Corey Allen

ATLANTA-Making its first appearance in the state of California in 20 years, Georgia State will continue the 2K Empire Classic benefiting Wounded Warrior Project facing Prairie View A&M on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. ET at the CBU Events Center in Riverside, Calif.

The Panthers will conclude the event on Saturday facing either Central Arkansas or host California Baptist at either 7:30 p.m. or 10 p.m. ET.

Georgia State (1-3) last played in California under Hall of Fame coach Charles "Lefty" Driesell when the Panthers squared off with Fresno State on Feb. 7, 1999.

Both contests in California can be heard live on WRAS-FM 88.5 with Sam Crenshaw calling the action. The games will also air live on FloHoops with Justin Simmons and David Miguel on the call. Live statistics and live audio will be available at GeorgiaStateSports.com and on most mobile devices.

Georgia State and Prairie View A&M (1-4) last met two seasons ago in the MGM Grand Main Event in Las Vegas. Prairie View A&M came away with a 71-56 victory that day. The Panthers have never met either Central Arkansas or California Baptist on the court.

This marks the eighth time in the last night years the Panthers have participated in an in-season tournament. Georgia State has opened the event with a pair of tough losses falling to then No. 2 Duke 74-63 and then on Sunday to Georgetown 91-83.

Redshirt-junior Corey Allen currently leads a group of four players who are averaging in double figures. Allen is scoring 16.3 points per game following a team-high 21 points at Georgetown. He is shooting 46.3 percent from the floor and is tied for second on the team with 11 assists.

All-Sun Belt Preseason Second Team member Kane Williams, who also earned Sun Belt Conference All-Tournament recognition last year, is currently second on the team averaging 13.3 points and 3.8 assists per game, while shooting 50.0 percent from 3-point range.

Senior Damon Wilson is adding 11.0 points and 5.3 rebounds per game while shooting 65.2 percent from the floor and 85.7 percent from 3-point range.

Under first year head coach Rob Lanier, the Panthers are holding opponents to just 35.5 percent shooting which ranks No. 29 in the NCAA. Opponents are shooting just 23.2 percent from 3-point range which is ranked No. 18 in the country.

Notes:

The Panthers are 13-14 in in-season tournaments since the start of the 2011-12 season.
With a 3-pointer last Sunday, Georgia State has made at least one 3-pointer in 752 games dating back to Feb. 18, 1995.
Since the start of the 2013-14 season, the Panthers have won 135 games, the most of any NCAA Division 1 program in the state of Georgia.
Georgia State is making its first appearance on the West Coast since opening the 2011-12 season at the World Vision Classic hosted by Washington.

Following Saturday night's game, Georgia State will return home to face Charlotte on Wednesday at 2 p.m. in the GSU Sports Arena. Tickets can be purchased by visiting GeorgiaStateSports.com/Tix or by calling 404-413-4020 during normal business hours.

Quick Notes:
•   Georgia State will face Prairie View A&M to open the 2K Empire Classic benefiting Wounded Warrior Project in Riverside, Calif. It will mark the second time the two programs have met with both coming in in-season tournaments.
•   The Panthers will then meet either Central Arkansas or California Baptist on Saturday night. Georgia State has never faced either program.
•   Georgia State will be making its first trip to the state of California since the Panthers played Fresno State on Feb. 7, 1999, under then head coach Charles "Lefty" Driesell.
•   Last time out Georgia State fell to Georgetown 91-83 on Sunday night at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. GSU led at halftime but were not able to overcome the Hoyas shooting 51 free throws.
•   The last time GSU met Prairie View A&M was the championship game of the MGM Grand Main Event in Las Vegas in 2017. As a freshman, Kane Williams scored eight points in just seven minutes.
•   With the opening night win, Rob Lanier became the first Georgia State head coach to win their debut since the 1981-82 season when Jim Jarrett won his debut. Lanier previously served as the Associate Head Coach at Tennessee.
•   Last year, Georgia State made its second-straight and third NCAA Tournament in the last five years, the best stretch in program history.
•   Since returning to the Sun Belt in 2013-14, Georgia State has finished in the top two of the final regular season conference standings five times in six seasons.
•   During that same time frame, Georgia State has won more games (135) than any other NCAA Division I team in Georgia.
•   Junior Kane Williams was selected to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team. He finished last year earning Sun Belt Conference All-Tournament recognition.
•   Williams is one of just nine active juniors in the country to have won conference tournaments in each of their first two years and appeared in NCAA Tournament games.
•   22 is a Magic Number: Both senior Damon Wilson and redshirt-sophomore Justin Roberts have set career highs in the first two games by scoring 22 points. Wilson did it against Brewton-Parker, while Roberts scored 22 at College of Charleston.
•   Sophomore Kavonte Ivery finished with 13 points and seven rebounds in 20 minutes against Brewton-Parker. As a freshman Ivery scored a total of nine points and played a total of 36 minutes.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#11 Corey Allen: G; 6' 2"; Redshirt Junior

#0 Kavonte Ivery: F; 6' 6"; Sophomore

#2 Justin Roberts: G; 5' 11"; Redshirt Sophomore

#12 Kane Williams: G; 6' 3"; Junior

#1 Damon Wilson: G; 6' 5"; Redshirt Senior

Players Mentioned

#11 Corey Allen
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Junior
: G

#0 Kavonte Ivery
: 6' 6"; Sophomore
: F

#2 Justin Roberts
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Sophomore
: G

#12 Kane Williams
: 6' 3"; Junior
: G

#1 Damon Wilson
: 6' 5"; Redshirt Senior
: G