Georgia State Stadium, 755 Hank Aaron Drive, Atlanta, GA 30315 Mike Holmes, Associate Athletics Director Office: 404.413.4033 • Cell: 404.259.9716 • Email: [email protected] GeorgiaStateSports.com | Twitter: @GeorgiaStateMBB NCAA Tournament Appearances: 1991, 2001, 2015, 2018, 2019 Sun Belt Conference Championships: 2014 (R), 2015, (R) 2015 (T), 2018 (T), 2019 (R), 2019 (T) Game 5: GEORGIA STATE (3-1) vs. MERCER (6-0) December 16, 2020, 6 p.m. • GSU Sports Arena • Atlanta, Ga. TV: ESPN+ • Radio: GSU Mobile App/TuneIn Radio 2020-21 RECORDS GET READY FOR THE GAME... • Georgia State and Mercer will meet on Wednesday night for the 85th time and the second of two times this season. Georgia State: 3-1 The 85 meetings are the most times the Panthers have faced any one opponent. H: 1-0, A: 2-1, N: 0-0 • GSU has won 18 of the last 22 meetings with the Bears despite an 86-69 defeat at Hawkins Arena last month. Mercer: 6-0 • Both teams enter play in the top 10 of the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 Poll. Georgia State is currently H: 4-0, A: 2-0, N: 0-0 ranked No. 10, while Mercer comes in at No. 7. • Georgia State is looking for its best five game start (4-1) to a season since beginning the 2000-01 season 7-0. • Georgia State opened the season scoring 100 or more points in back-to-back games for the first time since the first HEAD COACH two games of the 1991-92 season and currently rank No. 11 in the country averaging 99.0 ppg. Rob Lanier (St. Bonaventure, 1990) • The Panthers currently rank No. 7 in the country in scoring offense at 93.2 points per game. Eliel Nsoseme is No. 4 in the NCAA averaging 5.0 offense rebounds per contest, while Corey Allen is No. 11 in the nation knocking down GSU: 22-14 (2nd Yr.) 3.75 3-pointers per game. Career: 80-84 (6th Yr.) • Kane Williams is one of two active Sun Belt Conference player (Marquis Eaton-Arkansas State) with career totals of at least 1,000 points (1,018), 250 rebounds (321) and 250 assists (306). There are 45 active NCAA Division I players SERIES RECORDS with at least 1,000 points, 250 rebounds, and 250 assists. • Williams, an All-Sun Belt Preseason First Team member, enters with 1,018 career points, 23 shy of Trae Goldston All-Time Series: Mercer leads 45-38 for 20th on GSU’s all-time list. He is the 23rd Panther to reach the milestone. Last meeting: MU, 86-69, 11/30/20 in Macon • Williams has already become just the eighth player in program history to record 300 or more career assists. • Senior Justin Roberts was named the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week on Dec. 1, a day after being named Last ATL meeting: GSU, 62-60, 11/13/18 the Lou Henson National Player of the Week. *GSU has won 18 of the last 22 meetings • GSU’s win over Georgia Tech on opening night gave the Panthers their first win ever over an ACC opponent. The Panthers set school records for points scored (123), combined points (243), fouls (37), combined fouls (65) while playing the first triple and quadruple overtime game in school history. GEORGIA STATE ON THE AIR • Also in the win over Tech, four Panthers (Allen, Nsoseme, Roberts, and Williams) each scored 20 or more points marking the first time in program history that feat has been accomplished in a game. Radio: GSU Mobile App/TuneIn Radio • The win over Tech also gave the Panthers three wins over Power 5 programs in the last two-plus seasons. In 2018- PbP: Dave Cohen (38th Year) 19, Georgia State knocked off both Georgia and Alabama. Color: Lamont McIntosh • Georgia State knocked down 16 3-pointers against Toccoa Falls on Nov. 27, tied for the fourth-most in program history. The 37 attempts are tied for the fifth-most in program history. Internet: Live stats at GeorgiaStateSports.com • Since returning to the Sun Belt in 2013-14, Georgia State has finished in the top two of the final regular season conference standings five times in seven seasons. • During that same time, GSU has won more games (156) than any other NCAA Division I team in Georgia. Television: ESPN+ • Georgia State is under the leadership of second-year head coach Rob Lanier. His 19 wins in his first year at the helm PbP: Dave Cohen is the third-most by a first-year head coach in program history. Color: Lamont McIntosh • Georgia State was selected to win the East Division of the Sun Belt Conference this year in the annual preseason poll by the coaches and media. PROBABLE STARTERS Pos # Name ...................................Ht Wt Cl. PPG RPG Notes G 2 Justin Roberts .........................6-0 170 Jr. 15.5 a4.8 Named Lou Henson National POTW on Nov. 30 G 11 Corey Allen ............................6-2 210 Sr. 15.5 5.0 Knocked down 15 3-pointers in first four games G 12 Kane Williams ........................6-4 195 Sr. 15.5 6.0 Became 23rd Panther to reach 1,000 career points G 32 Ryan Boyce .............................6-6 195 So. 7.5 4.0 Earned last three games scoring 26 points F 1 Eliel Nsoseme .........................6-9 235 R-Jr. 13.3 8.8 Pulled down 12 rebounds last time out vs. Charlotte RESERVES .................................................. G 0 Evan Johnson .........................6-0 165 Fr. 7.8 2.3 Finished with 10 points in first match-up with Mercer G 4 JoJo Toppin .............................6-6 190 R-So. 6.8 3.5 Perfect at Charlotte (5-5 FG, 6-6 FT) for 16 points G 21 Kalik Brooks ...........................6-5 190 So. 1.0 1.0 Knocked down at 3-pointer vs. Toccoa Falls C 23 Joe Jones III ............................6-9 225 So. - - Missed first four games due to injury G 24 Collin Moore ..........................6-5 205 Fr. 7.5 4.0 Finished with 5 points and 6 rebounds at Charlotte C 25 Jalen Thomas ..........................6-10 235 So. 6.0 8.0 Missed last three games due to injury G 31 Zach Pina ................................5-11 175 So. 0.0 3.0 Grabbed 3 rebounds against Toccoa Falls F 30 Kaleb Scott ..............................6-7 235 Fr. 1.8 1.8 Finished with 5 points and 4 rebounds vs. Toccoa Falls F 35 Ahmid Bryant ........................6-6 215 Sr. - - Played four games in first year at GSU last season Georgia State Men’s Basketball Notes (page 2) 2020-21 SCHEDULE MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU Since joining the Sun Belt seven years ago, Georgia State has won three conference Date Opponent Time/Result regular season titles, finished as a regular season runner-up twice, advanced to four Nov. 25 at Georgia Tech (RSN/FSS) W, 123-120 4ot conference tournament finals, and won three tournament titles in New Orleans. Nov. 27 TOCCOA FALLS (ESPN+) W, 105-60 Over the seven year stretch, the Panthers are 90-42 in Sun Belt Conference regu- Nov. 30 at Mercer (ESPN+) L, 86-69 lar season games. The 90 wins are the most in the league during that time.GSU has Dec. 4 at Charlotte (YouTube) W, 76-65 finished in the top two in the Sun Belt regular season standings five times in the Dec. 16 MERCER (ESPN+) 6 p.m. last seven years. Dec. 18 CARVER (ESPN+) 2 p.m. Dec. 21 COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON (ESPN+) 7 p.m. POWER 5 SUCCESS Jan. 1 at Coastal Carolina * (ESPN+) 6 p.m. Over the last two-plus seasons, Georgia State has garnered three wins over Power Jan. 2 at Coastal Carolina * (ESPN+) 3 p.m. 5 programs following the 123-120 4OT win over Georgia Tech on opening night. The Jan. 8 at Troy * (ESPN+) 7 p.m. Panthers earned wins over Georgia and Alabama during the 2018-19 season which Jan. 9 at Troy * (ESPN+) 5 p.m. eventually ended in the NCAA Tournament. Jan. 15 COASTAL CAROLINA * (ESPN+) 6 p.m. The only other time in program history Georgia State defeated two Power 5 Jan. 16 COASTAL CAROLINA * (ESPN+) 4 p.m. programs in the same year was 2000-01 when the Panthers topped Georgia to open the Jan. 22 at Appalachian State * (ESPN+) 6 p.m. season and then defeated Wisconsin in the NCAA Tournament. Unfortunately it doesn’t Jan. 23 at Appalachian State * (ESPN+) 4 p.m. look like the Panthers will get another shot at a Power 5 program before the NCAA Jan. 29 SOUTH ALABAMA * (ESPN+) 6 p.m. Tournament this year. Jan. 30 SOUTH ALABAMA * (ESPN+) 4 p.m. Mercer 38-46 TONIGHT’S OPPONENT Feb. 5 APPALACHIAN STATE * (ESPN+) 6 p.m. Last 25 Games 2/16/95 ........................H W 84-66 Feb. 6 APPALACHIAN STATE * (ESPN+) 4 p.m. Georgia State and Mercer will meet for the 85th all- 3/3/95 * .......................A L 71-81 Feb. 11 GEORGIA SOUTHERN * (ESPN+) TBA time meeting on Wednesday. The 85 meetings are the 2/3/96 ..........................H L 90-96 Feb. 13 at Georgia Southern * (ESPN+) TBA most the Panthers have played against any other oppo- 2/17/96 ........................A W 74-66 2/4/97 ..........................A W 80-72 Feb. 19 TROY * (ESPN+) 6 p.m. nent. The Bears lead the all-time series 46-38, but the 2/18/97 ........................H W 82-57 Feb. 20 TROY * (ESPN+) 4 p.m. 2/7/98 ..........................H W 84-70 Panthers have won 18 of the last 22 meetings despite Feb.