Downtown vs. Midtown as Panthers Host Tech at Convocation Center

Daniel Wilson

Men's Basketball | 11/10/2022 3:32:00 PM

GEORGIA STATE (1-0) vs. GEORGIA TECH (1-0)
Saturday, Nov. 12 • 7 p.m. • GSU Convocation Center

TV: ESPN+
RADIO: Georgia State Radio network on WRAS-FM 88.5 and the GSU Athletics mobile app.

THE TIPOFF: After opening the regular-season with a 76-59 win over Coastal Georgia in the debut for head coach Jonas Hayes, Georgia State hosts Georgia Tech in a Downtown vs. Midtown matchup Saturday at 7 p.m. at the new GSU Convocation Center. The game will air on ESPN+ and the Georgia State Radio Network.

The basketball game is the back end of an exciting doubleheader on the GSU campus as the football team hosts ULM at 1 p.m. on Senior Day at Center Parc Stadium

KEEP IT ROLLING: Georgia State has won 11 of its last 12 games, with the only loss coming to No. 1 seed Gonzaga in the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament. The Panthers won the final seven regular-season contests of 2021-22, swept three games in the Sun Belt Conference tournament and then opened 2022-23 with a win over Coastal Georgia.

DOWNTOWN VS. MIDTOWN: Georgia State and Georgia Tech are meeting for the third straight year after splitting a pair of overtime games the last two seasons, both at Tech.

> On Nov. 25, 2020, Georgia State defeated Georgia Tech 123-120 in a four-overtime epic that was the longest and highest-scoring game in GSU history, lasting more than three hours, past midnight and into Thanksgiving morning. That marked the Panthers first-ever win over an ACC opponent, and both teams set numerous school records.

> The teams played another overtime game last season but Tech won 72-62. The Panthers fell behind in the first half and then used a 27-6 run to take 52-46 lead with eight minutes left before Tech rallied late to force overtime.

> Georgia State also defeated Georgia Tech 65-58 in a exhibition game on Oct. 28, 2017 at Tech.

> Georgia State and Georgia Tech have met 21 times since 1970, but this marks just the third home game, and the first since 2007-08, for the Panthers.

> The last time Georgia State hosted Georgia Tech, the Panthers fell 72-67 at the GSU Sports Arena on Dec. 5, 2007. Georgia State's only other home game in the series was a 77-73 victory at the then-new GSU Sports Arena on March 10, 1973. That was also the Panthers' only win in the series until the four-overtime victory two seasons ago.

> Jonas Hayes is facing Georgia State for the first time as a head coach, but he played against the Yellow Jackets three times as a player at Georgia. His UGA teams defeated Tech in 2001-02 and 2003-04, both in Athens.

MORE ON THE 4-OT EPIC: Georgia State took a four-point lead with 1:05 to play in the second overtime, but Tech scored four-straight points to send it to triple-overtime.

> Georgia Tech built a four-point lead with 21 seconds to play in triple overtime before Justin Roberts knocked down a 3-pointer with 12 seconds to play (109-108). After Jose Alvarado made one of two free throws, Collin Moore hit two free throws 1.3 seconds to play and the freshman made both free throws to send it to a fourth overtime.

> Tech took a 116-114 lead with two minutes to play in the fourth overtime, but after turnovers on back-to-back possessions, the Panthers scored five-straight to go ahead 119-116 with 39 seconds to play and the held on for the win.

> Four current Panthers played in the game, led by Collin Moore (12 pts, 3 reb in 24 min). Evan Johnson (6 pts, 4 ast in 21 min), Kaleb Scott (3 min) and Kalik Brooks (1 min) also saw action.


NEW ERA: First-year head coach Jonas Hayes takes over a Georgia State program that is coming off a berth in the 2022 NCAA Tournament as the Sun Belt Conference champion and is the winningest program in the conference and the state of Georgia over the last decade.

The Atlanta native grew up just minutes from the Georgia State campus, playing at Douglass High School and then the University of Georgia.

Hayes spent the last four seasons at Xavier, first as assistant coach and then as interim head coach. He was elevated on March 16, 2022 and led the Musketeers to four straight wins, defeating Florida, Vanderbilt and St. Bonaventure before a 73-72 victory over Texas A&M in the NIT championship game at Madison Square Garden.

NEW DIGS: The new home court for Panther basketball is the 7,500-seat GSU Convocation Center, an impressive multi-purpose facility that is a key addition to the Georgia State campus for hosting graduation, freshman convocation, academic programs, performances and other events as well as men's and women's basketball games.

The Panthers earned a 76-59 win over Coastal Georgia on Nov. 7 in the first regular-season at the GSU Convocation Center. Sophomore guard Evan Johnson took the first shot and made the first basket--a 3-pointer--in the new arena.

Located at the corner of Capitol Avenue and Fulton Street in the Summerhill neighborhood, just a few hundred yards from Center Parc Stadium, the new venue replaces the 3,854-seat GSU Sports Arena that housed the program from 1973 through last season.

SEASON-OPENING WIN: Georgia State opened the 2022-23 season, as well as the Jonas Hayes era and the new Convocation Center, with a 76-59 win over Coastal Georgia. Sophomore forward Ja'Heim Hudson came off the bench to score a career-high 16 points, along with 10 rebounds, three steals and three blocked shots.

> The transfer trio of Dwon Odom (16 pts, 4 ast), Brenden Tucker (11 pts) and Jamaine Mann (8 pts, 7 reb) were all in the starting lineup, combining for 35 points and 15 rebounds.

> Freshman post player Edward Nnamoko started and contributed eight points, six rebounds and three blocks.

TRANSFER TRIO: Georgia State welcomes three highly-regarded transfers in guards Dwon Odom (Xavier), Brenden Tucker (College of Charleston) and Jamaine Mann (Vanderbilt). All three return home to the Atlanta area where they played their high school basketball.

> Odom, who attended St. Francis in Alpharetta, played two seasons at Xavier under Jonas Hayes. He averaged 6.4 points and 2.5 assists for his two seasons while shooting 55 percent from the field. Odom scored 18 points vs. Texas A&M to help Hayes and Xavier win the 2002 NIT title game.

> Tucker, a first-team all-state selection as a senior at Dacula High School, played three seasons at the College of Charleston. He averaged 11.3 ppg and 2.4 rpg and shot 39 percent from 3-point range last season.

> Mann was a two-time all-state prep player who led Dutchtown High to the 2020 Class AAAAA state title. He transfers from Vanderbilt, where he averaged 4.6 points and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 48 percent from the field in 2021-22.

BIG SHOES TO FILL: Georgia State has had to replace its top six scorers from a year ago, as well as its top two rebounders, top three in assists, top five in steals and top two in blocked shots. In particular, last year's senior quartet of guards Kane Williams, Corey Allen and Justin Roberts and center Eliel Nsosome combined for 42 points, 16 rebounds and 16 assists per game.

In addition to eight returning letterwinners, led by guard Evan Johnson and forward Ja'Heim Hudson, the Panthers also welcome three highly-regarded transfers in guards Dwon Odom (Xavier), Brenden Tucker (College of Charleston) and Jamaine Mann (Vanderbilt). All three return home to the Atlanta area where they played their high school basketball. Center Edward Nnamoko, a 6-10 freshman from Lagos, Nigeria, should also make an impact.

PRIDE OF THE PEACH STATE: Georgia State is the winningest Division I college basketball team in the state of Georgia since the 2011-12 season.

> Since the start of 2011-12, Georgia State has won 64 percent of its games with a record of 225-125.

> Georgia State's 225 victories are more than Mercer, the next best team in the state with 212 wins and a .538 winning percentage during that time.

> The Panthers also easily outpace Georgia Southern (186), Georgia (176), Georgia Tech (171) and Kennesaw State (83).

> Georgia State has made four NCAA Tournament appearances in the last decade; the other five Division I programs have combined for three NCAA appearances in that time (Georgia-1, Georgia Tech-1, Mercer-1).

2021-22 SEASON REVIEW:
18-11, 9-5 Sun Belt (3rd)
Sun Belt Conference Champions
NCAA West Regional (l. Gonzaga)

> Led by the veteran quartet of Kane Williams, Corey Allen, Justin Roberts and Eliel Nsoseme, Georgia State won its fourth Sun Belt Conference tournament title to earn its sixth NCAA Tournament berth and fourth since 2015.

> The Panthers won 10 straight games in February and March, capped by wins over Arkansas State, App State and Louisiana in the Sun Belt Tournament. Facing No. 1 seed Gonzaga, Georgia State fell 92-73 in the NCAA West Regional.

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Players Mentioned

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

#21 Kalik Brooks: G; 6' 5"; Freshman

Eliel Nsoseme: F; 6' 9"; Junior

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

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

Players Mentioned

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

#21 Kalik Brooks
: 6' 5"; Freshman
: G

Eliel Nsoseme
: 6' 9"; Junior
: F

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

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