Georgia State Men's Basketball 2014 NIT Tournament Capsule

Georgia State Panthers
Sun Belt (25-8, 17-1)

 

Things did not look very good for Georgia State back in December. They had just one Division I win on December 14th. Then the Panthers knocked off Old Dominion and that sparked a 14 game winning streak. And it was too late for anybody in the Sun Belt to catch Coach Ron Hunter’s team after that.

Big Wins: 1/23 at LA Lafayette (77-70), 2/22 LA Lafayette (80-77), 3/8 Western Kentucky (73-55)
Bad Losses: 11/26 at Elon (85-90), 11/30 at Florida International (60-61), 2/15 at Troy (81-85)
Coach: Ron Hunter (3 seasons at Georgia State)

Why They Can Surprise:
Georgia State has one of the most efficient and effective offenses in the nation. They average nearly 79 points per game, but what is really impressive is the fact that they commit just 8.4 turnovers per contest. That ranks second in the nation only to Wisconsin. This team has the unique ability to score in bunches without turning the ball over. When it comes to scoring, few are better than R.J. Hunter. The sophomore has not been too consistent in the scoring department, but he can completely go off on any given day. Hunter does not have to be consistent thanks to Ryan Harrow and Devonta White. Harrow, who played at Kentucky last year, will not hit too many three-pointers, but few finish around the basket better than him. White is a double-figure scorer as well, but he deserves a huge amount of credit for the limited turnovers. White runs the offense and runs it amazingly well.

Why They Can Disappoint:
Manny Atkins, a 6-6 senior, is the best shooter on the team and another major scoring threat, but the frontcourt is a concern. Atkins does his best on the glass, yet simply doesn’t have the size to be too effective in the rebounding department. Curtis Washington is a fine shot blocker, but not the best rebounder. The only frontcourt depth at Coach Hunter’s disposal is 6-6 sophomore Markus Crider. As a result, this is one of the worst rebounding teams in the country. The superb turnover margin of Georgia State is often neutralized on the glass and the Panthers cannot afford to lose too many possessions in the postseason.

Probable Starters:
Devonta White, Senior, Guard, 11.5 ppg, 4.4 apg
Ryan Harrow, Junior, Guard, 17.9 ppg, 4.3 apg
R.J. Hunter, Sophomore, Guard, 18.4 ppg, 1.6 apg, 1.0 bpg
Manny Atkins, Senior, Forward, 14.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg
Curtis Washington, Junior, Forward, 7.4 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 2.3 bpg

Key Roleplayers:
Markus Crider, Sophomore, Forward, 3.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg
Rashaad Richardson, Senior, Guard, 2.9 ppg

By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 76.7 (46th in nation, 2nd in conference)
Scoring Defense: 66.2 (75, 3)
Field-Goal Percentage: 50.9 (1, 1)
Field-Goal Defense: 42.6 (124, 2)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 5.3 (262, 5)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 36.0 (97, 3)
Free-Throw Percentage: 74.6 (24, 3)
Rebound Margin: 4.9 (38, 2)
Assists Per Game: 12.0 (226, 6)
Turnovers Per Game: 10.1 (19, 2)

Recent Postseason Appearances:
2012    CIT    First Round win over Tennessee Tech
2012    CIT    Second Round loss to Mercer

*all team stats through 3/9

 

See All Men’s Basketball Postseason Capsules