Men's Basketball 2/10/2021 2:16:00 PM

Rivalry Showdown With Southern Set for THERSday

ATLANTA-Looking to return to form, the Georgia State men's basketball team will host in-state rival Georgia Southern on Thursday night at 6 p.m., inside the GSU Sports Arena.

Georgia State (8-5, 2-4 Sun Belt) has uncharacteristically lost three-straight games, including a loss on Tuesday night to South Alabama where only seven players were able to dress due to COVID-19 protocols.

Thursday will mark the first of two games between the Panthers and Georgia Southern (12-9, 6-6 Sun Belt) over a 48-hour stretch as the teams will then head to Statesboro to face each other on Saturday afternoon.

Georgia State continues to be led by redshirt-junior Eliel Nsoseme who is averaging a double-double of 12.7 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. He is currently fifth in the NCAA shooting 67.5 percent from the floor. He is third in the nation averaging 4.55 offensive rebounds per game and No. 16 in rebounds per contest.

Senior Corey Allen leads the Panthers in scoring averaging 15.0 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. He is shooting 47.0 percent from beyond the arc which ranks No. 7 in the NCAA.

Junior Justin Roberts is averaging 14.5 points per game, while senior Kane Williams, who became the 23^rd Georgia State player to score 1,000 career points earlier this year, is averaging 12.4 points and 3.8 rebounds per contest.

Having broken the century mark three times already this season, the Panthers enter Thursday's game averaging 81.8 points per game which ranks No. 16 in the NCAA. Georgia State is also top 20 in the nation in assist/turnover ratio and No. 35 in field goal percentage.

The Panthers are currently ranked No. 14 in the latest CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 Poll, the highest of any Sun Belt Conference team despite having seven games postponed this season.

Broadcast Information

Radio: GSU App/TuneIn Radio, PbP: Dave Cohen, Color: Lamont McIntosh
Television: ESPN+, PbP: Dave Cohen, Color: Lamont McIntosh
Live Stats: GeorgiaStateSports.com

Game Notes
• Georgia State, the most successful team in the Sun Belt since returning to the league for the 2013-14 season, returns to the court for its second game after missing two weeks due to COVID-19 protocols.
• The match-up between the Panthers and Eagles will be the first of two games over a 48-hour stretch.
• The Panthers have won nine of the last 11 home games with the Eagles dating back to 1992.
• GSU and GS will be meeting for the 62nd time. The only team the Panthers have faced more often is Mercer.
• Georgia State enters the game ranked No. 14 in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 Poll, the highest ranked Sun Belt Conference team in the poll.
• GSU is currently riding a three-game losing streak. The Panthers have not lost four in a row since the 2015-16 season.
• Georgia State has scored 100 or more points in three games this year, matching the school record for times going over the century mark in a season (1988-89 and 1991-92).
• GSU is currently ranked No. 16 in the NCAA averaging 81.8 points per game, while holding an assist/turnover ratio of 1.40 which ranks No. 20 in the NCAA. GSU holds a turnover margin of 3.5 which is No. 23 in the NCAA.
• Eliel Nsoseme is No. 3 in the NCAA averaging 4.55 offensive rebounds per contest and No. 16 averaging 10.3 rebounds per game. He grabbed 20 rebounds against Mercer and has recorded a pair of double-doubles. He is also shooting 67.5 percent from the floor which ranks 5th in the country.
• Corey Allen is shooting 47.0 percent from deep which ranks No. 7 in the NCAA. He is currently ranked among the top 50 active scorers in the nation with 1,479 points.
• Kane Williams is one of four active Sun Belt players with career totals of at least 1,000 points (1,105), 250 rebounds (342) and 250 assists (346). There are 59 active NCAA Division I players with those milestones.
• Williams, an All-Sun Belt Preseason First Team member, enters with 1,105 career points, 29 shy of Ryan Harrow for 16th on GSU's all-time list. He is the 23rd Panther to reach the milestone.
• GSU's win over Georgia Tech, the Panthers earned their first win ever over an ACC opponent and third over a Power 5 opponent in the last three years. GSU set school records for points scored (123), combined points (243), fouls (37), combined fouls (65) while playing the first triple and quadruple overtime game in school history.
• Also in the win over Tech, four Panthers (Allen, Nsoseme, Roberts, and Williams) each scored 20 or more points marking the first time in program history that feat has been accomplished in a game.
• In Georgia State's win over Carver, the Panthers set school records for field goals made (51) and assists (34) while seven players scored in double figures, tying a school record.
• 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 seven seasons.
• During that same time, GSU has won more games (161) than any other NCAA Division I team in Georgia.
• Georgia State is under the leadership of second-year head coach Rob Lanier. His 19 wins in his first year at the helm is the third-most by a first-year head coach in program history.
• GSU was selected to win the East Division of the Sun Belt this year in the annual preseason poll by the coaches and media.

Following the game on Thursday, Georgia State will head south to Statesboro to face in-state rival Georgia Southern on Saturday at 3 p.m., in Hanner Fieldhouse.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#11 Corey Allen: G; 6' 2"; Senior

#1 Eliel Nsoseme: F; 6' 9"; Redshirt Junior

#2 Justin Roberts: G; 6' 0"; Junior

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

Players Mentioned

#11 Corey Allen
: 6' 2"; Senior
: G

#1 Eliel Nsoseme
: 6' 9"; Redshirt Junior
: F

#2 Justin Roberts
: 6' 0"; Junior
: G

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