Men's Basketball 11/4/2021 1:00:00 PM

It's Basketball Season! Panthers Host Clayton State Friday Night

ATLANTA-Coming off a third-straight appearance in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament Championship Game, the Georgia State men's basketball team will open the 2021-22 season with its lone exhibition game on Friday night hosting Clayton State in the GSU Sports Arena at 7 p.m.

Admission to the game on Friday is free and does not require a ticket. All seats will be general admission.

Friday's contest can be heard live on WRAS-FM 88.5 with Dave Cohen, now in his 39th year as the Voice of the Panthers, being joined by former Panther Lamont McIntosh. Live statistics and live audio will be available at GeorgiaStateSports.com and on most mobile devices.

Georgia State enters the season with arguably its most depth in program history, including two 'super seniors' in Kane Williams and Corey Allen, along with fellow seniors Justin Roberts and Eliel Nsoseme. Adding in junior Jalen Thomas, the Panthers return all five starters from last season as each player averaged in double figures.

Allen earned All-Sun Belt Conference Preseason First Team honors last month, while Williams and Nsoseme garnered second team recognition.

Georgia State finished last year 16-6 in a COVID-19 shortened season, falling just short of a third-straight NCAA Tournament.

The senior foursome is joined by fellow returners Evan Johnson, Kalik Brooks, Collin Moore, Jalen Thomas, Kaleb Scott, and Zach Pina. After taking redshirts last season, Nelson Phillips and Joe Jones III also back this year.

Head coach Rob Lanier, who is now beginning his third year at the helm of the program, also welcomes in five talented newcomers all who will see action this year. Jordan Rawls transferred to Georgia State from Western Kentucky, while freshmen Chien-Hao Ma, Ja'Heim Hudson, Danny Stubbs, and Jamall Clyce will give the Panthers their biggest line-up in program history with 17 players.

In his first two seasons, Lanier has the highest winning percentage of any men's basketball coach in his first two years in the program in school history, winning 35 games and putting together a .648 winning percentage.

Notes:

This will mark the first time Georgia State and Clayton State meet on the court.
The Panthers are 16-0 in exhibition games since 2011, including a 15-0 mark at home.
Since returning to the Sun Belt Conference for the 2013-14 season, Georgia State has finished in the top two in the Sun Belt standings six times in eight years.
Since the start of the 2013-14 season, the Panthers have won 169 games, the most of any NCAA Division 1 program in the state of Georgia.

Georgia State will play 15 home contests this winter in the final season of the GSU Sports Arena. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit GeorgiaStateSports.com/Tix or call 404-413-4020 during normal business hours.

The Panthers will open the regular season hosting Brewton-Parker on Tuesday at 7 p.m., to kick off the final season of the GSU Sports Arena. Georgia State will move into its new Convocation Center for the 2022-23 season.

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Players Mentioned

#11 Corey Allen: G; 6' 2"; Senior (4th)

#21 Kalik Brooks: G; 6' 5"; Junior (3rd)

#0 Evan Johnson: G; 5' 11"; Sophomore (2nd)

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

#24 Collin Moore: G; 6' 4"; Sophomore (2nd)

#1 Eliel Nsoseme: F; 6' 8"; Senior (4th)

#2 Justin Roberts: G; 5' 10"; Senior (4th)

#30 Kaleb Scott: F; 6' 6"; Sophomore (2nd)

#12 Kane Williams: G; 6' 4"; Senior (4th)

#33 Jamall Clyce: F; 6' 6"; Freshman (1st)

#15 Ja'Heim Hudson: F; 6' 7"; Freshman (1st)

#14 Chien-Hao Ma: F; 6' 7"; Freshman (1st)

Players Mentioned

#11 Corey Allen
: 6' 2"; Senior (4th)
: G

#21 Kalik Brooks
: 6' 5"; Junior (3rd)
: G

#0 Evan Johnson
: 5' 11"; Sophomore (2nd)
: G

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

#24 Collin Moore
: 6' 4"; Sophomore (2nd)
: G

#1 Eliel Nsoseme
: 6' 8"; Senior (4th)
: F

#2 Justin Roberts
: 5' 10"; Senior (4th)
: G

#30 Kaleb Scott
: 6' 6"; Sophomore (2nd)
: F

#12 Kane Williams
: 6' 4"; Senior (4th)
: G

#33 Jamall Clyce
: 6' 6"; Freshman (1st)
: F

#15 Ja'Heim Hudson
: 6' 7"; Freshman (1st)
: F

#14 Chien-Hao Ma
: 6' 7"; Freshman (1st)
: F