What You Need to Know:
* Georgia State officially began practice for the 2016-17 season on Friday.
* The Panthers will open the regular season on Nov. 11, hosting Thomas University, before a four-game stretch on the road in the Cancun Challenge.
* GSU JAM will return to the GSU Sports Arena on Oct. 20 at 7:30 p.m., featuring both the men and women’s team. Details to follow in the coming weeks.
ATLANTA-Coming off a third-straight winning season, the Georgia State men’s basketball team officially opened practice and preparations for the 2016-17 season on Friday. It was the first official day teams could practice and gave the Panthers just over one month to prepare their first exhibition game on Nov. 4.
Georgia State opened last season with a 7-2 non-conference record, third-best in program history, but fell in the opening round of the Sun Belt tournament, leaving a bitter taste in the mouths’ of players and coaches.
“Sun Belt play and the conference tournament did not go how we wanted last year,” head coach Ron Hunter said. “I saw a renewed dedication in the team this summer, similar to what we experienced when we made the NCAA tournament. This team is hungry to win and we saw it in practice today. I’m looking forward to coaching these young men and getting Georgia State back to the NCAA tournament.”
The team finished up a morning practice and will return to the court on Friday evening.
Despite practice just getting underway, it was anything but a quiet summer for the Panthers. Along with eight weeks of practice, the team traveling to the Dominican Republic in August as part of a week-long shoe distribution with Samaritan’s Feet. It marked the third international trip to the Panthers since Hunter’s arrival.
“The trip really brought the team together,” Hunter said. “When you are in another country with limited access to phones and the Internet, you find yourself spending much more time just talking and learning from teammates. I saw a lot of great things that week that I know will carry over into the season.
The Panthers will open the season on Nov. 4, hosting USC Aiken in an exhibition game before the regular season opener against Thomas University on Nov. 11. Immediately after a four-game stretch in the Cancun Challenge begins including match-ups with Auburn and Purdue.
Notes:
· Georgia State’s Nov. 14 game at Auburn has been picked up by SEC Network and will air live at 9 p.m. ET.
· The Panthers’ game at Purdue will also be televised live on the Big 10 Network with tip set for 7 p.m.
· All Georgia State regular season home games will air live on ESPN3. Sam Crenshaw and former Panther Jihad Ali will return for a second-straight year to call the games.
· GSU JAM returns on Oct. 20, as a part of GSU Homecoming Week festivities. The event is free and open to the public beginning at 7:30 p.m. in the GSU Sports Arena. More details will be announced in the coming weeks.
Less than 100 season tickets currently remain available for purchase in the lower level. GSU will play 14 home contests this winter at the GSU Sports Arena. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 404-413-4020 or visit GeorgiaStateSports.com.
