Panthers Face Texas State in 'Texas-Sized' Match-up Saturday

Chris Clerkley is on the verge of being the winningest player in program history.

ARLINGTON, Texas-With just three games remaining in the regular season, Georgia State and Texas State will square off in a 'Texas-sized' match-up on Saturday at 5 p.m. ET at Strahan Arena. The two teams are tied for second place in the Sun Belt Conference standings with less than two weeks remaining in the season.

Georgia State (18-10, 11-6 Sun Belt) and Texas State (18-10, 11-6 Sun Belt) each sit just 1.5 games behind first place Little Rock with the winner of the game having an inside track for a top-two seed and triple-bye into the conference tournament semifinals in New Orleans in mid-March.

Saturday's contest can be heard live on the GSU Mobile App with Dave Cohen, now in his 37^th year as the Voice of the Panthers, calling the action. The game will also air live on ESPN+. Live statistics and live audio will be available at GeorgiaStateSports.com and on most mobile devices.

Georgia State, the back-to-back defending Sun Belt Conference tournament champions have compiled an 89-40 league record since rejoining the league in 2013-14. During that six-year span, the Panthers have finished among the top two in the regular season standings five times. The 89 wins the most in the league and stands ahead of Louisiana (78) and UT Arlington (76).

The Panthers have gone 89-of-110 (80.6 percent) at the free throw line over the last five games and are now shooting 73.7 percent at the line this year which would stand as the third-best mark in program history if the season ended today.

Georgia State enters play holding opponents to just 28.6 percent shooting from 3-point range which ranks No. 11 in the country and first in the Sun Belt Conference. Georgia State is also holding opponents to just 39.6 percent shooting from the floor which ranks No. 32 in the NCAA.

Offensively the Panthers average 78.6 points per game which is ranked 20th in the country and among the top five best averages in program history. Georgia State is shooting 37.0 percent from behind the 3-point line which stands No. 29 in the country. The Panthers are also swiping 8.1 steals per game (No. 37 in the NCAA) while forcing 16.29 turnovers per contest which ranks No. 25 in the NCAA.

Junior Kane Williams, who earned All-Sun Belt Preseason Second Team honors, is currently averaging 14.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game and is shooting 76.2 percent from the free throw line this year. Lone senior Damon Wilson is averaging 10.9 points and a team-high 5.0 rebounds per contest.

Redshirt-sophomore Justin Roberts is third on the team averaging 13.4 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. He leads the team with 45 steals this season and is shooting a team-high 86.4 percent from the free throw line.

Redshirt-junior Corey Allen leads the Panthers in scoring averaging 14.2 points per game. He also leads GSU with 65 3-pointers which is tied for third in the Sun Belt Conference. He is just eight 3-pointers shy of moving into the top 10 in 3-pointers in a single season in program history.

Freshman Joe Jones III rounds out the starting line-up averaging 3.9 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. He is shooting 51.2 percent from the floor.

Notes:

Redshirt-junior Chris Clerkley has been a part of 86 wins in a GSU uniform. He is just two wins shy of being a part of the winningest four-year stretch in program history.
With a 3-pointer last time out, Georgia State has made at least one 3-pointer in 776 games dating back to Feb. 18, 1995.
Since the start of the 2013-14 season, the Panthers have won 152 games, the most of any NCAA Division 1 program in the state of Georgia.

Following Saturday's game Georgia State return home to face in-state rival Georgia Southern on Friday, Feb. 28, in the GSU Sports Arena at 7 p.m. The game will air live on ESPN+ and can be heard on WRAS-FM 88.5 and the GSU Mobile App.

Quick Notes:
•   Georgia State and Texas State will meet for the second time this year and 17th time overall.
•   Georgia State topped Texas State 73-69 in the first meeting. GSU has won six of the last seven in the series.
•   Georgia State enters play in a second-place tie with Texas State in the Sun Belt Conference standings at 11-6. Both teams are just 1.5 games behind Little Rock (12-4) for first place.
•   On Thursday the Panthers dropped a hard-fought 70-62 decision at UT Arlington. Kane Williams led the Panthers with 21 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
•   The Panthers are 89-of-110 (80.6 percent) at the free throw line over the last five games and are shooting 73.7 percent at the charity stripe this year which would be the third-best mark in program history.
•   GSU stands as the second-highest ranked team in the latest NET Rankings sitting at No. 118. UT Arlington is the highest rated team in the league at No. 114.
•   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.
•   GSU is 89-40 in Sun Belt Conference regular season games since rejoining the league in 2013-14. The Panthers are 31-21 in the month of February since that time.
•   Georgia State has won 51-straight games dating back to 1999 when scoring 90 or more points.
•   GSU ranks No. 1 in the Sun Belt in scoring offense, FG percentage defense, 3-point percentage, 3-point percentage defense, blocked shots, steals, and 3-pointers made per game.
•   As the decade came to an end, the Panthers finished the 10 year stretch winning 197 games during the 2010's. The previous best decade was the 2000's when Georgia State won 158.
•   GSU is currently ranked No. 11 in the country allowing opponents to shoot just 28.6 percent from 3-point range. GSU also ranks No. 32 in the country as opponents are shooting just 39.6 percent from the floor.
•   The Panthers are averaging 78.6 points per game, among the top 5 best averages in program history and currently ranked No. 20 in the NCAA.
•   GSU is shooting 37.0 percent from 3-point range which ranks No. 29 in the NCAA. The Panthers have also knocked down 246 3-pointers which is the 28th-most in the country.
•   Georgia State is currently forcing 16.29 turnovers per contest, the 25th-best mark in the NCAA.
•   Junior Kane Williams, who was named Tournament MVP of the 2K Empire Classic and to the All-Sun Belt Preseason Second Team is averaging 14.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game.
•   GSU is swiping 8.1 steals per game, ranked No. 37 in the NCAA with 226 total steals (No. 19th).
•   GSU has won more games (152) than any other Division I team in Georgia since the start of 2013-14.
•   Kane 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.

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Players Mentioned

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

#14 Chris Clerkley: F; 6' 8"; Senior

#23 Joe Jones III: C; 6' 9"; Freshman

#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

#14 Chris Clerkley
: 6' 8"; Senior
: F

#23 Joe Jones III
: 6' 9"; Freshman
: C

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

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

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