ATLANTA-- After securing its first conference win of the season, Georgia State looks to build on conference play at Louisiana on Jan. 4, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. ET at the Cajundome.
Georgia State and Louisiana are meeting for the 11th time in program history. The Panthers are 2-8 on the series after falling 41-54 to the Rajin' Cajuns on Dec. 29, 2022.
TOP STORY LINES:
> Georgia State clinched its first conference win at Texas State after three Panthers (Mikyla Tolivert, Crystal Henderson and Mya Williams) scored in double figures to lead the Panthers to a 59-51 win over the Bobcats. After trailing throughout the game, GSU went on a 22-6 run in the fourth quarter to secure the win.
>The Panthers defeated Sewanee 107-49 to mark one of the largest margins of victory in program history (9th in program history).
> Georgia State opened the season with three Power 5 opponents, including Georgia Tech, Georgia and Alabama. Its season was highlighted by a 66-60 upset over Georgia.
STATE IN THE SUN BELT:
> Led by Mikyla Tolivert, The Panthers are second in the conference in overall free throw percentage (73.4).
> The Panthers are also second in the Sun Belt in blocks per-game, averaging 4.0 pg. Mahogany Matthews, who leads the Panthers in blocks, also leads the conference and ranks top 20 in the nation for total blocks (18th/29) and blocks per-game (18th/ 2.23).
> Led by Mya Williams, the Panthers rank fourth in the conference in three-pointers per game (7.3).
> The Panthers also rank top five in the Sun Belt for assist/turnover ratio (4th/ 0.85), steals pg (3rd/ 10.6), three-point percentage (6th/ 30.9) and turnovers forced per-game (4th/ 19.69).
> The Panthers finished the 2023-24 season ranking third in the Sun Belt in blocks per game (3.2) and bench points (23.7), which finished 38 in the nation. The Panthers also finished fourth in the conference in assists per game (13.6) and steals (9.6).
TRACKING THE RECORD:
> Tolivert hit the record book in numerous occasions during the 2023-24 season, ranking third overall in program history for career free-throw percentage (80.7). She entered the single-game records five times last season; twice for single-game points, twice for single game free-throws made and once for single-game assists.
> Transfer Mya Williams totaled 56 three-pointers last season to take the sixth overall spot in program history for single-season three pointers.
BIG TWO: Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Guard Miklya Tolivert is the Panthers' leading scorer with 14.1 ppg, which ranks fourth in the Sun Belt for points per-game.
> Her 80.0 free-throw percentage leads the team and the Sun Belt.
> Tolivert averages 3.5 rpg, 2.2 assists per-game and 25 steals. She has the second-most steals on the team, which ranks eighth in the conference.
> Senior Mikyla Tolivert joined the Panthers' thousand-point club after scoring her thousandth career point in the Panthers' win over Western Carolina (Nov. 19).
CRYSTAL CLEAR: Sophomore leader Crystal Henderson, named to the 2024 preseason All-Sun Belt First Team, is third on the Panthers' leaderboard with 9.9 ppg,. She leads the team in assists (54) and steals (34). Henderson averages 2.6 rpg.
> Her 34 steals leads the conference, and her 2.62 steals per-game ranks second.
> Henderson leads the team in three-point percentage (39.4) after going 13-33 from deep.
> Henderson is second in the Sun Belt for total assists, and is third in the conference for assists per-game (4.2). She is fourth in the conference with a 1.69 assist/turnover ratio. She has played the second-most minutes out of all Sun Belt players.
SHARP SHOOTERS:
> Junior guard Kaleigh Addie is second on the Panthers leaderboard with 10.1 ppg. She also leads the team in field-goal accuracy, averaging 42.5 percent from the field.
> She averages 2.0 rpg and 0.9 apg.
> Senior Mya Williams continues to lead the Panthers' squad in three-pointers made through another year, totaling 22 made and averaging 36.1 percent from deep.
> The senior guard is fourth on the Panthers' leaderboard with 9.3 ppg, 2.0 rpg and seven assists.
THE BIGS:
> Graduate transfer Mahogany Matthews leads the team and Sun Belt, and is 18th in the nation, for blocks and blocks per-game with 29 (2.23 pg).
> Matthews averages 8.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg and 14 assists.
> In her second year at Georgia State, Patience Williams leads the Panthers in rebounding, averaging 5.8 rpg. She averages 3.7 ppg and totals 12 assists.
> Williams has a perfect free-throw average after going 8-8 at the line.
The Panthers return home to face rivals Georgia Southern on Wednesday, Jan. 8 at 5:30 p.m.
