Panthers Host Georgia Southern For Sold-Out ‘White-Out’ Friday Night

ATLANTA-In front of what will be the sixth-straight sell-out in the series at the GSU Sports Arena, Georgia State will host Georgia Southern in a key Sun Belt Conference match-up on Friday night at 7 p.m.

Georgia State (18-11, 11-7 Sun Belt) and Georgia Southern (17-12, 11-7 Sun Belt) enter play in a tie with South Alabama for third place in the conference standings with just two games to play. All three schools trail second-place Texas State by one game as teams scramble for one of the top two spots in the league standings which secures a triple-bye into the conference tournament in New Orleans in two weeks.

Fans are encouraged to wear white for the game that has now sold out six straight seasons, all of which have resulted in Georgia State wins. The Panthers have won nine-straight home games against the Eagles dating back to 1992 and have won four-straight overall in the series.

Friday's contest can be heard live on WRAS-FM 88.5 and the GSU Mobile App with Dave Cohen, now in his 37^th year as the Voice of the Panthers, being joined by former Panther Lamont McIntosh calling the action. The game will also air live on ESPN+ with Sam Crenshaw and Rodney Turner on the call. 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 89-41 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 (79) and UT Arlington (77).

The Panthers have gone 98-of-125 (78.6 percent) at the free throw line over the last six games and are now shooting 73.3 percent at the line this year which would stand as the fourth-best mark in program history if the season ended today.

Georgia State enters play holding opponents to just 28.7 percent shooting from 3-point range which ranks No. 9 in the country and first in the Sun Belt Conference. Georgia State is also holding opponents to just 39.8 percent shooting from the floor which ranks No. 35 in the NCAA.

Offensively the Panthers average 78.6 points per game which is ranked 21st 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. 31 in the country. The Panthers are also swiping 7.9 steals per game (No. 44 in the NCAA) while forcing 15.86 turnovers per contest which ranks No. 36 in the NCAA.

Junior Kane Williams, who earned All-Sun Belt Preseason Second Team honors, is currently averaging 14.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game and is shooting 75.9 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 13.3 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. He leads the team with 46 steals this season and is shooting a team-high 85.2 percent from the free throw line.

Redshirt-junior Corey Allen is second on the Panthers in scoring averaging 14.3 points per game. He also leads GSU with 68 3-pointers which is tied for the most in the Sun Belt Conference. He is just five 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 3.8 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. He is shooting 51.8 percent from the floor.

Notes:

Georgia Southern leads the all-time series with Georgia State 36-23, however the Panthers are 14-6 against the Eagles since 1995.
One point will be in the line on Saturday as a part of the Rivalry Series which is currently tied 5-5.
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 777 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 Friday's game Georgia State conclude the regular season hosting first place Little Rock on Tuesday 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 Georgia Southern will meet for the second time (GSU won the first 82-77) this season in the 60th meeting all-time between the two programs.
•   The 60 meetings are the second-most GSU has faced any other opponent (Mercer - 83).
•   The Eagles lead the all-time series 36-23, however the Panthers are 14-6 in the last 20 meetings.
•   GSU won nine-straight home meetings in the series. Georgia Southern has not won in Atlanta since 1992.
•   Georgia State enters play in a tie with Georgia Southern and South Alabama for third-place in the Sun Belt Conference standings at 11-7 behind first place Little Rock and Texas State.
•   One point in the annual Rivalry Series will be up for grabs which is currently tied 5-5.
•   GSU has won 24 of their last 26 home contests, including the last two following a stretch of 15 straight.
•   The Panthers are 98-of-125 (78.4 percent) at the free throw line over the last six games and are shooting 73.3 percent at the charity stripe this year which would be the fourth-best mark in program history.
•   GSU stands as the second-highest ranked team in the latest NET Rankings sitting at No. 119. Texas State is the highest rated team in the league at No. 117.
•   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 89-41 in Sun Belt Conference regular season games since rejoining the league in 2013-14. The Panthers are 31-22 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.
•   GSU is currently ranked No. 9 in the country allowing opponents to shoot just 28.7 percent from 3-point range. GSU also ranks No. 35 in the country as opponents are shooting just 39.8 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. 21 in the NCAA.
•   GSU is shooting 37.0 percent from 3-point range which ranks No. 31 in the NCAA. The Panthers have also knocked down 255 3-pointers which is the 34th-most in the country.
•   Georgia State is currently forcing 15.86 turnovers per contest, the 36th-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 14.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game.
•   GSU is swiping 7.9 steals per game, ranked No. 44 in the NCAA with 230 total steals (No. 33rd).
•   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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