Week 12 Men’s Basketball Preview: Georgia State

Georgia State is heating up as we head into the back half of the season, winning their last two games and are 4-2 in their previous six games. The team finds themselves right in the middle of the Sun Belt standings as conference play enters full swing, sitting at a 4-3 conference record which is good enough to be two games behind Troy for the conference lead. The Panthers 7-12 record mirrors last season’s halfway point with a record of 7-11, putting them on pace for a 12-18 finish.

Owners of a two-game win streak heading into their two game homestand. The Panthers hold a 1-1 home record against the conference at home, 4-2 overall.

Sophomore guard Jelani Hamilton has been filling the stat sheet in his last two starts, scoring 40 points, 13 rebounds and 9 steals. Hamilton is also shooting to the tune of 41.5% from the field this season.

The key to victory for the Panthers may lie in controlling the paint on both ends of the court. Sophomore forward Joah Chappel’s minutes have tapered off the last two games but has been a force in the paint all season, including a 5-block game against Appalachian State. Chappel leads the team in offensive rebounds with 26 and averages 5.9 rebounds per game.

As a team, the Panthers will look to stay consistent at the free throw line. Georgia State is shooting 78.3% from the charity stripe this season, putting them 9th in all of division one basketball for free throw percentage.

Southern Mississippi at Georgia State

The Golden Eagles are in the midst of a two-game skid, losing their last game 74-67 against Sun Belt opponent Texas State. They’ll be coming into Thursday’s matchup looking to get back on track in the win column, sitting at 3rd in the conference just behind Georgia Southern and Troy.

Georgia State is on a two-game losing streak when facing Southern Miss and hold a 3-4 record against the Golden Eagles, their last meeting came during the 2023-2024 season where Southern Miss took a 76-73 victory in Hattiesburg.

Junior forward Tylik Weeks leads the team in most stats including total points scored, rocking 17.9 PPG and 6.1 REB. Weeks put up 24 points in the loss against the Bobcats, his second most in a game this season.

As a team, the Golden Eagles clock in at 5th in the Sun Belt for team field goal percentage at 45.7%. Graduate forward Djahi Binet is shooting 65.8% from the field, leading the team. Leaning on Binet could be the key to victory against the Panthers as they have allowed opponents to shoot 42.2% from the field.

The game could come down to turnovers as Southern Miss averages 13.2 per game opposed to Georgia State who averages only 11.9 per game. However, the Golden Eagles are forcing 12.5 turnovers this season and capitalizing off well off their opponent’s mistakes by averaging 15.6 points off turnovers.

Tip-Off: Thursday Jan. 22 at 7:00 p.m. EST

TV: ESPN+

Radio: WRAS-FM 88.5 (TuneIn)

Arkansas State at Georgia State

In the middle of their own two-game losing streak after losing to conference leader Troy 99-74 and are tied with Georgia State with a 4-3 Sun Belt record. The Red Wolves looked strong during their out-of-conference schedule, beating Ohio University in the MAC/SBC Challenge to start the season, then defeating North Dakota State to have them at a 12-7 overall record. The Panthers lost last time out against Arkansas State last season in blowout fashion with a score of 85-59; however, they hold an advantage in the overall record against the Red Wolves at 13-6.

Senior forward Jaxon Ellingsworth has been electric from beyond the arc, hitting 37.7% from three and knocking down 23 of them so far this season. The team is shooting just below average from three so far in the 25′-26′ campaign, hitting on just 32.2% of them.

Graduate guard Matt Hayman is a pest on the court, leading the team in steals with 24 and adding two blocks to his defensive resume. Hayman is also capitalizing at the line, shooting 92.6% on 27 free throw attempts. Like Southern Miss, the Red Wolves benefit from a strong team field goal percentage at 44.9%.

The key to Arkansas State coming out on top could rest on their ability to stretch the floor and opening up shots for their high-percentage shooters in Jaxon Ellingsworth and junior guard Christian Harmon, Georgia State is allowing 34.1% from the three-point line this season.

Tip-Off: Saturday Jan. 24 at 2:00 p.m. EST

TV: ESPN+

Radio: 97.5 Glory FM WTJG (TuneIn)

Click here for information on tickets. Georgia State fans can also contact the ticket office at (404)-413-4020 or email the ticket office at tickets@gsu.edu