BOONE, N.C. – Having won two of its last three games and coming off of a big road win at Arkansas State last Saturday, Appalachian State University men's basketball returns home to face the defending Sun Belt Conference champion Georgia State Panthers.
Game time is set for Thursday, Jan. 21 at 7:30 p.m. from inside the Holmes Center.
FOLLOW THE MOUNTAINEERS
You can follow the action live by watching on App State TV or by listening to the Appalachian IMG Sports Network. You can also choose to follow the game by following App State Men's Basketball (@AppStateMBB) or App State Athletics (@appstatesports) on Twitter.
THURSDAY'S PROMOTIONS
• As part of Thursday's showdown with the Panthers it will be Black Out Week. Fans are encouraged to wear black in support of the Mountaineers all week long.
• It will also serve as Class of 2019 Night - the first 250 members of the Class of 2019 to check in will receive a free t-shirt and the opportunity to make a tunnel for the team.
• High Country Thursday – group ticket rate for all those that live in the High Country. Just show your ID at the game!
• Scholar-Athlete recognition will take place at halftime.
• FREE glowsticks will be given out to the first 250 students in attendance.
LAST TIME OUT
• Appalachian put together arguably its best 40 minutes of basketball all season long last Saturday at Arkansas State.
• For just the second time this season, App State collected more than 50 rebounds (52) with 19 of them coming on the offensive glass.
• With the help of great offensive rebounding, App State outscored Arkansas State 19-9 in second-chance points.
• At the first media timeout of the game, App State led A-State 11-0 and held the Red Wolves to 0-for-11 from the field.
• The Red Wolves were just 1-for-17 from the floor at the second media timeout of the first half and trailed Appalachian 20-3.
• Entering last Saturday's tilt, Arkansas State was a combined 33-0 (volleyball, football and men's and women's basketball) in Sun Belt play.
• The Mountaineers also enjoyed a season-high 86 points in the winning effort.
SERIES HISTORY
• App State enters Thursday's contest against Georgia State with a 3-1 all time record against the Panthers.
• Having not played since 1989, both programs matched up in the Mountaineers' first season in the Sun Belt Conference last season.
• App State owns wins over Georgia State on Dec. 12, 1988 (W, 86-84) and Dec. 2, 1989 (W, 110-69).
• Appalachian upset the Panthers in its first meeting of the season in 2015, 74-69 on Jan. 17. However, the Apps would fall in Atlanta 87-43 on Feb. 21.
• In two game last season, Frank Eaves averaged 16.5 ppg against the Panthers. Eaves also shot 10-for-19 from long range in both games (52.6 percent).
SCOUTING THE PANTHERS
• Georgia State enters play with a 12-4 overall record, including a 5-2 mark in league play.
• The Panthers are coming off of a season that saw the program advance to the NCAA Tournament's second round. They upset Baylor in its opening round game.
• Georgia State lost its leading scorer, R.J. Hunter, from last season to the NBA Draft. R.J., son of head coach Ron Hunter, was taken in the first round by the Boston Celtics.
• Leading the charge this season is Jeremy Hollowell who is averaging 15.1 points per game, while Kevin Ware is close behind with 13.2 per game.
• Despite being 12-4, the Panthers carry a -3.6 rebounding margin.
• However, the Panthers heavily outshoot their opponents this season. GSU is shooting 45.4 percent from the floor, while holding the opposition to just 39.4 percent.
• For a team that makes 5.1 threes per game, the Panthers hold their opponent to just an average of 6.3 threes made per game and lead the conference in three-point defense - holding its opposition to just 29.6 percent from behind the arc.
• App State enters play leading the Sun Belt in three-point percentage (36.0 percent) and third in threes made per game (7.9)
