ATLANTA-- After starting conference play on the road, the Panthers return to Atlanta to host non-conference opponent Columbia College on Sunday, Dec. 28 at the GSU Convocation Center before resuming conference play on the road at Marshall on Dec. 31. 

Georgia State enters play with a 3–10 overall record and a 1–1 mark in Sun Belt Conference action. The Panthers are coming off a 70–63 road win at App State on Dec. 20, marking their first conference road victory of the season.

The Panthers have only seen its home court three times so far this season. Previously, they went on a month-long road swing beginning on Nov. 13 before returning home for a single game on Dec. 13. This matchup marks the fourth total on home court, and the last before the new year.  

Georgia State will open conference play with four consecutive road matches before hosting its first Sun Belt Conference home contest against App State. 

The Panthers will face both App State and Marshall twice within the same month, playing App State on Dec. 20 and Jan. 8 and Marshall on Dec. 31 and Jan. 10..

SHOOTERS SHOOT: 

The Panthers are averaging 65.8 points per game while shooting 35.9 percent from the field and 29.0 percent from three-point range. Georgia State has connected on nearly eight three-pointers per game and is converting free throws at a 76.4 percent clip, a key strength at the line.

The Panthers average 20.8 ppg off the bench, accounting for 31.6 percent of Georgia State's Overall offensive productivity.   

Georgia State is shooting 29.0% from three-point range, with Ayouba Berthe leading the team in made threes (22). Berthe is averaging 1.7 made threes per game and has attempted a team-high 66 shots from beyond the arc.

Hamilton leads the team in three-point percentage among high-volume shooters (36.8%).

Jelani Hamilton leads the Panthers in scoring at 17.3 points per game, shooting 43.0 percent from the floor and 93.3 percent at the free-throw line. 

Despite participating in only seven contests due to an injury early in the season, Hamilton is second on the Panthers' leaderboard in total points (138). 

Hamilton has a near-prefect free throw average after going 56-fo-60 at the free-throw line, leading the Sun Belt and helping the team to a second place conference ranking (44th nationally) for free throw percentage.

Hamilton has led the Panthers in scoring in 7-of-8 of the games he has participated in.

Micah Tucker is second on the team in scoring at 11.8 ppg while leading the Panthers in minutes played (30.1 mpg).He also leade the team in total points with 153 points. 

Tucker has reached double figures in seven games and is shooting 84.9% from the free-throw line.  

Jakai Newton averages 9.1 points and 4.9 rebounds per game, ranking third on the team in scoring and rebounds.

Newton has led Georgia State in rebounding four times this season.

THE BIGS: 

Joah Chapelle and Anthony Enoh anchor the interior, combining for 12.8 rebounds per game. Chapelle leads the team with 6.8 rebounds per game, while Enoh adds 6.0 boards on the defensive end.

Sophomore Chappelle ranks sixth in the conference in rebounds per game. 

Chappelle has recorded four games with double-digit rebounds and posted a season-high 12 rebounds vs. Fort Valley State (Nov. 13).

He scored his second double-double of the season for the Panthers, recording 14 points and 11 rebounds in the Panthers' loss against New Mexico State (Nov. 26). He ranks seventh in the conference for double-doubles.  

Anthony Enoh adds 6.0 rpg and has pulled down nine or more rebounds in three contests.

Enoh recorded nine rebounds in the win at App State (Dec. 20), and a season-high 12 boards in the win over Jacksonville State (Dec. 13).

Georgia State averages 35.9 rebounds per game and records 6.5 steals and 2.8 blocks per contest. The Panthers are holding opponents to 7.7 made three-pointers per game but will look to improve their overall field-goal defense moving forward.

The Panthers ring in the new year with a road contest against Coastal Carolina on Jan. 3 at 1:00 p.m.