Panthers Look to Extend Six-Game Winning Streak Hosting Texas State Saturday

ATLANTA-Looking to extend its six-game winning streak and avenge its only home loss last season, Georgia State will host Texas State on Saturday at 1 p.m. in the GSU Sports Arena.

Georgia State (7-3, 1-0 Sun Belt) has won six-straight games and 10-straight at home dating back to last season. The Panthers opened league play with an 83-77 win over UT Arlington on Thursday night as junior Kane Williams just missed a double-double with 17 points and nine rebounds.

Texas State (7-5, 0-1 Sun Belt) has lost three of its last four games following a 67-64 loss at Georgia Southern on Thursday night.

Saturday's contest can be heard live on GeorgiaStateSports.com and the GSU Mobile App with Dave Cohen, now in his 37^th year as the Voice of the Panthers, 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.

As conference play continues, Georgia State looks to continue a trend over the last six years. During that time the Panthers have finished in the top two in the Sun Belt Conference stands five times while winning 79 league games, most among the 12 member schools.

Georgia State enters play holding opponents to just 27.3 percent from 3-point range which ranks No. 24 in the country and first in the Sun Belt Conference. Offensively the Panthers are shooting 40.3 percent from behind the 3-point line which stands No. 14 in the country and second in the league. GSU is also averaging 80.2 points per contest which would be among the top five best marks in school history and currently ranks No. 33 in the NCAA.

Junior Kane Williams who was named the 2K Empire Classic Tournament MVP and earned All-Sun Belt Preseason Second Team honors is currently averaging 14.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game, while shooting 45.7 percent from 3-point range.

Lone senior Damon Wilson is averaging 12.5 points per contest while shooting 51.3 percent from the floor and 61.9 percent from 3-point range. He is also pulling down a team-high 5.1 rebounds per game after tying a career-high with 22 points on Thursday night.

Redshirt-sophomore Justin Roberts, who earned 2K Empire Classic All-Tournament recognition, is fourth on the team averaging 11.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. He has swiped a team-high 22 steals, an average of 2.50 per game which ranks No. 16 in the country.

Redshirt-junior Corey Allen leads the Panthers in scoring averaging 15.6 points per game while shooting 44.9 percent from the floor. He leads GSU with 23 3-pointers and is shooting 38.3 percent from beyond the arc.

Notes:

Georgia State's six-game winning streak is tied for the ninth-longest in the country.
In the latest NET Rankings as of Friday morning the Panthers are ranked No. 109 in the country, the second highest among all Sun Belt Conference schools (Appalachian State, No. 105).
Georgia State has won five of the last six meetings with Texas State including two of three last season.
With a 3-pointer last time out, Georgia State has made at least one 3-pointer in 758 games dating back to Feb. 18, 1995.
Since the start of the 2013-14 season, the Panthers have won 141 games, the most of any NCAA Division 1 program in the state of Georgia.

Following Saturday's game, Georgia State return to the road to face SMU in Dallas, Texas, on Monday night at 7 p.m. ET. The game will air live on ESPN3 and WRAS-FM 88.5.

Quick Notes:
•   Georgia State and Texas State will face off for the 16th time as the Panthers look to avenge their only home court loss last season.
•   The Panthers have won five of the last six meetings with the Bobcats and are 10-3 against Texas State since returning to the Sun Belt Conference in 2013-14.
•   Georgia State knocked off Texas State in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament semifinals last year to reach a second-straight conference tournament title game.
•   Georgia State's 7-3 start marks the third-straight season the Panthers have won seven of their first 10 games and is tied for the third-best start 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 six seasons.
•   In the latest NET Rankings as of Friday morning, GSU is ranked No. 109 in the nation, second among all Sun Belt schools (Appalachian State, No. 105).
•   Last time out GSU extended its winning streak to six-straight games with an 83-77 win over UT Arlington on Thursday night. The six-game streak is tied for the ninth-longest in the country.
•   The Panthers have won 10-straight home games dating back to last season's loss to Texas State. The streak is currently tied for the fourth-longest in program history and tied for the 23rd-longest in the nation.
•   Georgia State is currently ranked No. 24 in the country and No. 1 in the Sun Belt Conference allowing opponents to shoot just 27.3 percent from 3-point range.
•   GSU is shooting 40.3 percent from 3-point range which ranks No. 14 in the NCAA and No. 1 in the league.
•   Georgia State is currently scoring 80.2 points per game which would be among the top five best scoring seasons in program history. The average is currently ranked No. 33 in the country.
•   The Panthers are swiping 9.1 steals per game, tops in the conference and No. 34 in the nation.
•   Junior Kane Williams, who was named Tournament MVP of the 2K Empire Classic and to the All-Sun Belt Preseason Second Team is averaging 14.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game.
•   Justin Roberts was named to the 2K Empire Classic All-Tournament Team and is currently averaging 2.50 steals per game, No. 16 in the country. He already has three games this season where he recorded five swipes.
•   With the opening night win, Rob Lanier became the first GSU head coach to win their debut since the 1981-82 season when Jim Jarrett won his debut. Lanier previously served as the Associate Head Coach at Tennessee.
•   Last year, Georgia State made its second-straight and third NCAA Tournament in the last five years, the best stretch in program history.
•   During that same time frame, GSU has won more games (141) than any other NCAA Division I team in Georgia.
•   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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Players Mentioned

#11 Corey Allen: G; 6' 2"; Redshirt Junior

#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

#2 Justin Roberts
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Sophomore
: G

#12 Kane Williams
: 6' 3"; Junior
: G

#1 Damon Wilson
: 6' 5"; Redshirt Senior
: G