GEORGIA STATE PANTHERS BACK-TO-BACK SUN BELT CHAMPS 2015-16 Georgia State Men’s Basketball GENERAL INFORMATION BASKETBALL STAFF Full name: Georgia State University Basketball Offi ce Telephone: (404) 413-4050 Location: Atlanta, Ga. Head Coach: Ron Hunter (Miami (Ohio), 1986) Founded: 1913 Record at School/Years: 87-47 / 5th Yr. Enrollment: 32,000 Career Record/Years: 361-266 (.568) / 22nd Yr. Nickname: Panthers Colors: Blue and White Associate Head Coach: Darryl LaBarrie (Georgia Tech, 2001), 5th Yr. Arena: GSU Sports Arena (3,854) Phone: (404) 413-4055 • Email: [email protected] Affi liation: NCAA Division I Assistant Coach: Everick Sullivan (Louisville, 2002), 5th Yr. Conference: Sun Belt Phone: (404) 413-4052 • Email: [email protected] President: Mark Becker Assistant Coach: Claude Pardue (Emory, 2008), 5th Yr. Director of Athletics: Charlie Cobb Phone: (404) 413-4053 • Email: [email protected] BASKETBALL INFORMATION Director of Operations: Nate Summers (IUPUI, 2009), 5th Yr. Phone: (404) 413-4056 • Email: [email protected] 2014-15 Record: 25-10, 15-5 Sun Belt/1st Administrative Assistant: Megan Meadows Starters Returning/Lost: 1/4 Strength & Conditioning: Nate Majanric Lettermen Returning/Lost: 10/5 Athletic Trainer: Dinika Johnson First Year of NCAA Basketball: 1963-64 Video Manager: Jeff Diepenbrock All-Time Record: 549-887 Special Assistant to the Head Coach: Joby Wright NCAA Appearances: (3) 2015, 2001, 1991 NIT Appearances (2): 2014, 2002 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (1): 2012 WHAT’S INSIDE SPORTS COMMUNICATIONS STAFF Head Coach Ron Hunter ........2-3 Honors .....................................102 Associate Athletics Director (MBB contact) ........ Mike Holmes Getting to Know GSU ...........4-29 Records ....................................104 Assistant Athletics Director ................................ Allison George President ...................................30 Starting Lineups .....................123 Assistant Athletics Director .................................. Charlie Taylor Director of Athletics .................31 Letterwinners .........................125 Graduate Assistant ....................................................Will Owens Athletics Administration .........32 Tournament History ..............127 Communications Intern ......................................Jordan Manning 2015-16 Roster .....................34-35 Year-by-Year Results ...............137 Offi ce Phone .........................................................(404) 413-4033 Pronunciation Guide ................35 Series Results ..........................150 Cell Phone .............................................................(404) 259-9716 Coaching Staff ......................38-46 Media Information ..................158 E-mail ................................................................rholmes@gsu.edu Player Profi les ......................48-76 Radio and Television ...............159 Web Site ..........................................www.GeorgiaStateSports.com 2014-15 Review ..................78-100 Sun Belt Schedule...................160 Mailing Address ....................................................... P.O. Box 3975 ...........................................................................Atlanta, GA 30302-3975 NCAA PRINCIPLE OF SPORTING BEHAVIOR AND ETHICAL CONDUCT Overnight Address ..........................125 Decatur Street, Suite 130 For intercollegiate athletics to promote the character development of partici- .....................................................................................Atlanta, GA 30303 pants, to enhance the integrity of higher education and to promote civility in society, student-athletes, coaches, and all others associated with these athletics programs and events should adhere to such fundamental values as respect, fair- The 2015-16 Georgia State University men’s basketball media guide ness, civility, honesty and responsibility. These values should be manifest not only is an offi cial publication of the Georgia State Sports Communications in athletics participation, but also in the broad spectrum of activities affecting the offi ce. The publication was written, designed and edited by Associate athletics program. Athletic Director Mike Holmes. Cover design by Summit Media. Photography by Georgia State Sports Information, Paul Abell, Todd Drexler, Randy Wilson, Doug Hazard, Steven Jones, Scott Donaldson and many others. Special thanks to those who assisted in this publication including Georgia State staff, fellow SIDs and members of the Georgia State men’s basketball coaching staff. On the cover: Georgia State seniors Markus Crider, T.J. Shipes, Kevin Ware and Jalen Brown, along with the Panthers two Sun Belt Conference trophies from last year and back-to-back championship rings. 1 HEAD COACH RON HUNTER 3 PANTHER TRADITION 5 PANTHER TRADITION 7 PANTHER HONORS 9 PANTHERS IN THE PROS GEORGIASTATEUNIVERSITY Georgia State University is an enterprising urban public research institution centered in the historic, cultural and fi nancial hub of downtown Atlanta. The university provides more than 32,000 students with unsurpassed connections to the city’s business, government, non-profi t and cultural organizations. Georgia State is dedicated to offering programs that cater to students’ educational needs, and the university provides a rich co-curricular experience with award-winning on-campus housing, hundreds of student organizations and one of the most diverse student bodies in the country. Students, faculty and alumni enjoy a unique campus personality and culture based on ambition, hard work and dedication. ONE OF ONLY FOUR public SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES: research universities in the state, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies Georgia State offers 100 fi elds of study with 250 graduate programs in its Byrdine F. Lewis School of Nursing and Health Professions eight colleges and schools. Students College of Arts and Sciences can chose from dozens of nationally- College of Education and Human ranked and recognized academic Development programs at the university, which College of Law provides the widest variety of fi eld of Honors College study in Georgia. J. Mack Robinson College of Business Georgia State is a national leader School of Public Health in graduating students from diverse backgrounds and has achieved national recognition for its commitment to its students’ successful progress toward graduation. Founded in 1913, Georgia State is the second-largest institution in the University System of Georgia with more than 32,000 students. GSUCAMPUS LOCATED IN THE HEART of one of America’s great cities, the Georgia State University campus has a profound infl uence on the changing landscape of downtown Atlanta. While the building blocks of the university will always be high-achieving students, world-class faculty and ground- breaking research, Georgia State boasts an ever-expanding and improving campus to accommodate that foundation. In the last decade, the Rialto Theater restoration, Student Center, Student Recreation Center, University Lofts, University Commons, Helen M. Aderhold classroom building, Parker H. Petit Science Teaching and Research Center and many other buildings have transformed the downtown cityscape at Atlanta’s core. The university has a new front door for visitors with Centennial Hall at 100 Auburn Ave, and a new Law School building is nearing completion. CAMPUSHOUSING SOME OF THE FINEST HOUSING FACILITIES in the nation are on the Georgia State campus. On-campus housing continues to grow, and more than 4,000 GSU students now live on campus with a variety of options — traditional dorms, apartment-style or loft living. Georgia State’s nationally-recognized and award-winning on-campus housing provides students with opportunities to connect with the university community with educational, cultural, recreational and social programs. The University Commons, opened in 2007, is a 4.2-acre complex of four buildings surrounding a landscaped courtyard. All units come with fully-equipped kitchens, furnished bedrooms and spacious living areas. The fall of 2009 saw the opening of Patton Hall, which is suite-style for 325 residents and includes an on-site dining facility. In 2010, GSU opened its fi rst Greek housing, which consists of nine fraternities and sororities housed in three-story townhomes. Opened in 2011, the Piedmont North Complex houses approximately 1,100 residents and off ers a traditional residence hall lifestyle with all the amenities one would expect from a premier housing program, including a dining facility. The University Lofts, opened in 2002, contain fully- furnished, loft-style apartments that blend urban style with modern features. Construction has begun on a new student housing and dining hall complex on Piedmont Avenue that will house 1,100 students and open for the fall of 2016. UNIVERSITY COMMONS All residence halls feature a full range of amenities including study and community lounge areas, laundry facilities, 24/7 security patrols, on-site or nearby parking and more. 17 CITYOFATLANTA ATLANTA IS INTEGRAL TO Georgia State’s educational experience. Students and faculty are part of a living laboratory where they study and create solutions for the challenges of the 21st century. The metropolitan Atlanta area is home to more than fi ve million people and the world’s busiest airport. Atlanta is third in the nation and fourth in the world for Fortune 500 company headquarters, and attending school downtown provides students with unparalleled access to internships and