The Rivalry Continues: Georgia State vs. Georgia Southern Wednesday

Sun Belt Conference Men's Basketball Tournament Quarterfinals

ATLANTA-With a berth in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament Semifinals at stake, No. 4-seed Georgia State will host No. 5-seed Georgia Southern on Wednesday night in the GSU Sports Arena at 7 p.m.

Georgia State (19-12, 12-8 Sun Belt) will open defense of its back-to-back Sun Belt Conference tournament titles hosting an in-state foe they know all too well. It will mark the 61^st time the Panthers face Georgia Southern (19-13, 12-8 Sun Belt), the third time this season, and the third time in the conference tournament in just the last five years.

The winner of Wednesday's game will advance to the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans to face No. 1-seed Little Rock on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. ET.

Wednesday'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 concluded the regular season with a 19-point win over first-place Little Rock just last week and will now look to advance to an NCAA Tournament for the third-straight season and fourth time in the last six years.

Georgia Southern advanced to this point following a remarkable 81-80 win over No. 8-seed Louisiana on Monday night in Statesboro. The Eagles overcame a 16-point second half deficit and then hung on as the Ragin' Cajuns missed a final shot at the buzzer.

Georgia State has compiled a 90-42 league record since rejoining the conference in 2013-14. During that six-year span, the Panthers have finished among the top two in the regular season standings five times, including a regular season conference title just last season.

The Panthers have gone 136-of-170 (80.0 percent) at the free throw line over the last eight games and are now shooting 74.1 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 28.7 percent shooting from 3-point range which ranks No. 7 in the country and first in the Sun Belt Conference. Georgia State is also holding opponents to just 40.1 percent shooting from the floor which ranks No. 42 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 7.9 steals per game (No. 43 in the NCAA) while forcing 16.03 turnovers per contest which ranks No. 30 in the NCAA.

Junior Kane Williams, who earned All-Sun Belt Second Team honors, is currently averaging 14.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game, and is shooting 77.7 percent from the free throw line this year.

Redshirt-sophomore Justin Roberts, who earned All-Sun Belt Third Team honors, is third on the team averaging 13.5 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. He leads the team with 49 steals this season and is shooting a team-high 85.7 percent from the free throw line.

Senior Damon Wilson is averaging 11.2 points and a team-high 4.9 rebounds per contest. He just missed a career-high with 20 points to go along with six rebounds on senior day against Little Rock.

Redshirt-junior Corey Allen is second on the Panthers in scoring averaging 13.7 points per game. He also leads GSU with 70 3-pointers which is fourth-most in the most in the Sun Belt Conference. He is just three 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 3.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. He is shooting 50.0 percent from the floor.

Notes:

Georgia State is 31-32 all-time in conference tournaments, including five titles that sent the Panthers on to the NCAA Tournament.
The Panthers are 8-3 in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament since returning to the league in 2013-14.
With a 3-pointer last time out, Georgia State has made at least one 3-pointer in 779 games dating back to Feb. 18, 1995.
Since the start of the 2013-14 season, the Panthers have won 153 games, the most of any NCAA Division 1 program in the state of Georgia.

Quick Notes:
•   Georgia State enters the Sun Belt Conference Tournament as the No. 4-seed and will open their back-to-back titles defense hosting No. 5-seed Georgia Southern.
•   The Panthers are 1-1 all-time as a No. 4-seed in conference tournaments. The only previous time GSU was a No. 4-seed was 2004 as members of the Atlantic Sun Conference.
•   Georgia State is 31-32 all-time in conference tournaments, but 8-3 since returning to the Sun Belt Conference for the 2013-14 season.
•   This will mark the third time in the last five years Georgia State and Georgia Southern meet in the conference tournament. The Panthers have won both previous match-ups in 2015 and 2018.
•   The month of March has been good to the Panthers in the last few years. Since 2014, Georgia State is 21-10 in the month of March including a 1-0 record this year.
•   Georgia State has already secured a seventh-straight winning season for the first time in program history.
•   The Panthers have won nine of the last 10 home games with the Eagles dating back to 1992.
•   Chris Clerkley enters the night having been a part of 87 wins in his four years, tied with Ryann Green for the most of any player in program history.
•   GSU has won 25 of their last 28 home contests, after having a 15-game streak snapped earlier this year.
•   The Panthers are 136-of-170 (80.0 percent) at the free throw line over the last eight games and are shooting 74.1 percent at the charity stripe this year which would be the third-best mark 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 seven seasons.
•   GSU is 90-42 in Sun Belt Conference regular season games since rejoining the league in 2013-14.
•   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, and 3-pointers made per game.
•   GSU is currently ranked No. 7 in the country allowing opponents to shoot just 28.6 percent from 3-point range. GSU also ranks No. 42 in the country as opponents are shooting just 40.1 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 274 3-pointers which is the 43rd-most in the country.
•   Georgia State is currently forcing 16.03 turnovers per contest, the 30th-best mark in the NCAA.
•   Kane Williams earned All-Sun Belt Second Team is averaging 14.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game.
•   GSU is swiping 7.9 steals per game, ranked No. 43 in the NCAA with 246 total steals (No. 44).
•   GSU has won more games (153) than any other Division I team in Georgia since the start of 2013-14.

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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