AKRON, OH-- After finishing the 2023-24 season tied for eighth in the conference, the Panthers open the 2024-25 season at Akron for game one of the Sun Belt-MAC Challenge on Monday, Nov. 4 at 6:00 p.m. at James A. Rhodes Arena. 

SERIES VS. AKRON: Georgia State and Akron are meeting for the second time in program history. The Panthers are 0-1 on the series after falling 78-66 to the Zips on Dec. 20, 2016. 

Overall: 0-1

At home: 0-1

On the road: 0-0

Neutral: 0-0

STATE IN THE SUN BELT: 

> After a standout 2023-24 season for the Panthers, Georgia State starts the season fifth in the preseason coaches poll. 

> The Panthers finished the 2023-24 season ranking third in the Sun Belt in blocks per game (3.2) and bench points (23.7), which finished 38 in the nation. The Panthers also finished fourth in the conference in assists per game (13.6) and steals (9.6). 

CRYSTAL CLEAR: Sophomore leader Crystal Henderson was named to the 2024-25 Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team after a standout 2023-24 season. 

 > Crystal Henderson was named 2023-24 Sun Belt Freshman of the Year after leading all Sun Belt freshmen in scoring, steals and assists, and finishing top five in assists among all freshmen in the NCAA during the 2023-24 season. Henderson's honors marked the third Freshman of the Year honors in program history, and the first since the 2016-17 season.

> The freshman point guard, who saw the most time on the court least season, was Panthers' second-leading scorer at 11.4 ppg. She led the team in assists (4.5 pg), which finished third overall in the Sun Belt. Henderson's assist-turnover ratio (+1.58) finished fourth in the conference. 

> Henderson was also a defensive asset, finishing second on the team with 55 steals, placing her eighth in the conference.

> The freshman leader recorded 15 double-digit games, including three 20+ games at Clemson (Dec. 16), Troy (Dec. 31) and Georgia Southern (Jan. 24) during the 2023-24 season. She notched a career-high 24 points and six free throws in the Panthers' win at Troy (Dec. 31).

BIG TWO: Veteran Mikyla Tolivert was named to the 2024-25 preseason All-Sun Belt First Team after leading the Georgia State women's basketball team through the 2023-24 season. 

> Tolivert led GSU in scoring (14.1 ppg), and was second on the team in 3-point percentage (.333) and free throws (.802), which finished sixth  overall in the Sun Belt during the 2023-24 season. 

.> The Melbourne, Fla. native also finished sixth overall in the Sun Belt in assist-turnover ratio (+1.46) and steals (1.83 pg), and was top 10 in the conference for assists per game (3.4). 

> Highlighting her previous season, Tolivert notched a double-double with a career-high 27 points and 10 rebounds, and sunk a career-high five 3-pointers in the Panthers' conference opener at Troy (Dec. 31). She recorded her second double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds against James Madison (Jan. 31).  

PANTHERS TO WATCH: 

> After transferring to Georgia State from Hutchinson C.C. in 2023, Mya Williams made a name for herself early in the 2023-24 season, finishing third on the Panthers' leader board (10.5 ppg).Last season, Williams led the Panthers in free throw percentage (.850) and 3-pointers (52).  

>In her first seaosn at Georgia State, Xavier transfer Kaleigh Addie finished third on the Panthers' squad in 3-pointers (31.8), fifth in scoring (7.2 ppg) during the 2023-24 season.  

NEWCOMERS LEADING THE PACK: The Panthers' cast of newcomers includes experienced transfers such as Morgan Robinson-Nwagwu (UCF), Eden Johnson (Georgia Southern), Clara Rosini (McNeese State) and Mahogany Matthews (Marshall), as well as promising freshmen like Monna Julkunen (Rabun Gap-Nacoochee) and Frankee Payne (South Gwinnett). 

> Graduate transfer Eden Johnson joins the Panthers for the 2024-25 season after spending the last fours seasons at Georgia Southern. 

> Last season, Johnson averaged 6.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.13 blocks per game. She finished the season ranking second in the Sun Belt Conference in blocked shots per game and fourth in total blocks (34). 

> Graduate transfer Mahogany Matthews joins the Panthers for the 2024-25 season after spending the last five seasons at Marshall. In her senior year, Matthews helped the Thundering Herd to a conference championship title. 

> The veteran forward tallied a team-high 44 blocks while averaging 8.0 points and 4.8 rebounds per game during the 2023-24 season. 

> Senior guard Clara Rosini comes to Georgia State from McNeese State, where she finished last season averaging 3.7 ppg and 1.3 assists on .344 percent shooting. 

> Rosini finished her final season at McNeese ranking third on the team with 128 rebounds. 

TRACKING THE RECORD: 

> Tolvert hit the record book in numerous occasions during the 2023-24 season, ranking third overall in program history for free-throw percentage (80.7). She entered the single-game records five times last season, twice for single-game points, twice for single game free-throws made and once for single-game assists.

After competing in the SBC-MAC Challenge at Akron, the Panthers travel to Georgia Tech on Friday, Nov. 8 at 7:00 p.m.