#StateNotSouthern: Rivalry Renewed Saturday in Statesboro

ATLANTA-Georgia State will close out the first half of conference play and the final game of a three-game road swing traveling to Statesboro to face in-state rival Georgia Southern on Saturday at 5 p.m. at Hanner Fieldhouse.

Georgia State (13-7, 6-3 Sun Belt) and Georgia Southern (12-8, 6-3 Sun Belt) enter Saturday tied for second-place in the conference standings 1.5 games behind first-place Little Rock.

The Panthers have won three-straight and five of six against the Eagles including the regular season finale last season that snapped a 23-year losing streak in Statesboro and gave Georgia State the Sun Belt Conference title. This will mark the 59^th time the two programs meet, the second-most games against a single opponent for the Panthers.

Saturday's contest can be heard live on 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 Greg Talbott and Danny Waugh on the call. Live statistics and live audio will be available at GeorgiaStateSports.com and on most mobile devices.

Georgia State, the back-to-back defending Sun Belt Conference tournament champions have compiled an 84-37 league record since rejoining the league in 2013-14. During that six-year span, the Panthers have finished among the top two in the regular season standings five times.

Georgia State's 13-7 start is tied for the sixth-best start in program history. Since rejoining the conference, the Panthers are 43-13 in the month of January, including a 4-3 mark this year.

Georgia State enters play holding opponents to just 27.5 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 39.0 percent shooting from the floor which ranks No. 36 in the NCAA.

Offensively the Panthers average 79.1 points per game which is ranked 25th in the country and among the top five best averages in program history. Georgia State is shooting 39.7 percent from behind the 3-point line which stands No. 7 in the country. The Panthers are also swiping 9.0 steals per game (No. 23 in the NCAA) while forcing 17.45 turnovers per contest which ranks No. 27 in the country.

Junior Kane Williams who was named the 2K Empire Classic Tournament MVP and earned All-Sun Belt Preseason Second Team honors is currently averaging 13.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game having dished out 41 assists in the last seven contests.

Lone senior Damon Wilson is averaging 11.7 points and a team-high 5.0 rebounds per contest after finishing with a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds last week at South Alabama.

Redshirt-sophomore Justin Roberts, who earned 2K Empire Classic All-Tournament recognition, is second on the team averaging 13.6 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. He has knocked down 15 3-pointers in the last three games including six against the Jaguars.

Redshirt-junior Corey Allen leads the Panthers in scoring averaging 14.9 points per game while shooting 43.2 percent from the floor. He leads GSU with 50 3-pointers which ranks among the top five in the Sun Belt Conference.

Freshman Joe Jones III rounds out the starting line-up averaging 4.3 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. He is shooting 50.0 percent from the floor.

Notes:

Georgia Southern leads the all-time series with Georgia State 36-22, however the Panthers are 13-6 against the Eagles since 1995.
One point will be in the line on Saturday as a part of the Rivalry Series which Georgia Southern currently leads 4-3.
Redshirt-junior Chris Clerkley has been a part of 81 wins in a GSU uniform. He is just seven wins shy of being a part of the winningest four-year stretch in program history.
With a 3-pointer last time out, Georgia State has made at least one 3-pointer in 768 games dating back to Feb. 18, 1995.
Since the start of the 2013-14 season, the Panthers have won 147 games, the most of any NCAA Division 1 program in the state of Georgia.

Following Saturday's game, Georgia State will return home to start the second half of conference play hosting South Alabama on Thursday night at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased by visiting GeorgiaStateSports.com/Tix or calling 404-413-4020 during normal business hours.

Quick Notes:
•   Georgia State and Georgia Southern will meet for the first of two regular season meetings on Saturday in the 59th meeting all-time between the two programs.
•   The 59 meetings are the second-most GSU has faced any other opponent (Mercer - 83).
•   The Eagles lead the all-time series 36-22, however the Panthers are 13-6 in the last 19 meetings.
•   Georgia State enters play in a tie with Georgia Southern for second-place in the Sun Belt Conference standings at 6-3 just 1.5 games behind Little Rock for first place.
•   One point in the annual Rivalry Series will be up for grabs which the Eagles currently lead 4-3 this year.
•   Georgia State saw its three-game winning streak snapped last time out as the Panthers fell to Troy 75-65.
•   Georgia State remains the top team in the Sun Belt Conference in the latest NET Rankings sitting at No. 105 as of Friday morning.
•   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.
•   GSU is 84-37 in Sun Belt Conference regular season games since rejoining the league in 2013-14. The Panthers are also 43-13 (.768) in January since that time.
•   GSU currently ranks No. 1 in the Sun Belt Conference in scoring offense, scoring margin, field goal percentage defense, 3-point percentage, 3-point percentage defense, blocked shots, assists, and steals.
•   Georgia State's 13-7 start is tied for the sixth-best start in program history.
•   As the decade came to an end, the Panthers finished the 10 year stretch winning 197 games during the 2010's. The previous best decade was the 2000's when Georgia State won 158.
•   GSU is currently ranked No. 7 in the country allowing opponents to shoot just 27.5 percent from 3-point range. GSU also ranks No. 36 in the country as opponents are shooting just 39.0 percent from the floor.
•   The Panthers are averaging 79.1 points per game, among the top 5 best averages in program history and currently ranked No. 25 in the NCAA.
•   GSU is shooting 39.7 percent from 3-point range which ranks No. 7 in the NCAA. The Panthers have also knocked down 181 3-pointers which is the 31st-most in the country.
•   Georgia State is currently forcing 17.45 turnovers per contest, the 27th-best mark in the NCAA.
•   Junior Kane Williams, who was named Tournament MVP of the 2K Empire Classic and to the All-Sun Belt Preseason Second Team is averaging 13.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game.
•   GSU is swiping 9.0 steals per game, ranked No. 23 in the NCAA with 179 total steals (14th in the NCAA).
•   GSU has won more games (147) than any other Division I team in Georgia since the start of the 2013-14 season.
•   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

#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