Panthers Return Home to Host Rhode Island Sunday at 2 p.m.

GEORGIA STATE (5-5) vs. RHODE ISLAND (4-7)
Sunday, Dec. 18 | 2 p.m. | GSU Convocation Center

WATCH: ESPN+

THE TIPOFF: Georgia State tips off its final week of non-conference play by hosting Rhode Island Sunday at 2 p.m. at the GSU Convocation Center.

> The Panthers (5-5) are coming off 72-64 loss at No. 19/18 Auburn in which they held the lead until about 13 minutes to play.

> Playing its first home game since a 79-53 win over Middle Georgia State on Dec. 1, GSU is 5-3 at the GSU Convocation Center.

> Rhode Island is 4-7 after an overtime win over UMass-Lowell Tuesday.

> Sophomore guard Dwon Odom is the Panthers' leading scorer with 15.8 ppg, second-leading rebounder at 5.6 pg and leader in assists (3.3) and steals (1.1). The No. 9 scorer in the Sun Belt Conference, Odom has reached 20 points four times, including a career-high 27 in the win over UNC Asheville and 24 vs. Belmont.

> Sophomore forward Ja'Heim Hudson averages 11.0 points and leads GSU in rebounding (8.9/5th in Sun Belt) and blocked shots (13). He has been particularly effective on the offensive glass, ranking third in the Sun Belt with 3.3 offensive rebounds per game.

LAST TIME OUT: Georgia State fell 72-64 Wednesday at No. 19/18 Auburn. Evan Johnson scored 14 points and Dwon Odom 13 to lead GSU. Positive takeaways:

> The Panthers built a six point lead late in the first half and held the advantage until 13 minutes left. GSU stayed within striking distance until the end, trailing 59-54 with four minutes left and 69-63 with 42 seconds to play.

> Georgia State outrebounded the much bigger Tigers 35-26, including 15 offensive rebounds for the Panthers.

SERIES NOTES: Georgia State and Rhode Island are meeting for the second straight year and the fourth time since 2011. The Rams leads the series 2-1.

> In last year's game at Rhode Island, Georgia State had only seven scholarship players available due to injuries and COVID-19 protocols. Playing with just one of their regular starters in the lineup, the Panthers fell 94-59.

> The teams also played in Atlanta in 2011-12, when the Panthers won 96-64, and at Rhode Island the following year, a 65-60 win for the Rams.

> Georgia State and Rhode Island will meet on the gridiron next fall as the Rams visit Center Parc Stadium for the 2023 season opener.

CHARITY CASE: Georgia State ranks No. 2 in the Sun Belt and No. 27 in D-1 in free throw shooting at 76.6 percent.

> Individually, Dwon Odom is second in the Sun Belt in free throws made, fourth in attempts and No. 6 in percentage at 82.7 percent (43-for-52).

> Brenden Tucker is shooting .850 from the line and Danny Stubbs is at .818, but neither has enough attempts to qualify for statistical rankings.

STEPPING IN: With injuries juggling the lineup early in the season, two Panthers have stepped in and stepped up.

> Sophomore Danny Stubbs, who played only 18 minutes all of last season, is averaging 5.0 points while playing about 25 minutes a game. He scored a career-high 16 points in the win over UNC Asheville, including 6-of-7 free throws in the final minute to help seal the win, and then added 11 points vs. Belmont and 10 vs. Middle Georgia.

> Kalik Brooks, the former walk-on who was awarded a scholarship prior to the season, has started four games and is averaging 4.5 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.0 steals. He averaged 9.3 points in the three-game Capitol Classic, including a career-high 12 points vs. UNC Asheville. He contributed eight points at Auburn.

CLOSE CALLS: Georgia State has lost three games by a total of five points. The Panthers fell 62-61 to Eastern Kentucky on a half-court, buzzer-beater and 59-57 to Georgia Tech on a basket with four seconds left. In the 68-66 loss to Belmont, GSU had the ball with a chance to tie the game or take the lead in the final seconds.

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 229-130.

> Georgia State's 229 victories are more than Mercer, the next best team in the state with 217 wins and a .570 winning percentage during that time.

> The Panthers also easily outpace Georgia Southern (192), Georgia (182), Georgia Tech (176) and Kennesaw State (88).

> 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).

840 AND COUNTING: Georgia State has made at least one 3-point field goal in 840 straight games, dating back to the 1994-95 season. The last team to hold the Panthers without a trey was Stetson on Feb. 18, 1995. The streak is among the top 25 in the nation.

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Players Mentioned

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

#15 Ja'Heim Hudson: F; 6' 7"; Sophomore

#0 Evan Johnson: G; 5' 11"; Sophomore

#20 Danny Stubbs: G; 6' 0"; Sophomore

#1 Dwon Odom: G; 6' 2"; Sophomore

#5 Brenden Tucker: G; 6' 3"; Junior

Players Mentioned

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

#15 Ja'Heim Hudson
: 6' 7"; Sophomore
: F

#0 Evan Johnson
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: G

#20 Danny Stubbs
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: G

#1 Dwon Odom
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: G

#5 Brenden Tucker
: 6' 3"; Junior
: G