GSU PLAYS HOST RAGIN' CAJUNS SATURDAY AT NOON
 
    Georgia State (7-7, 2-3) will face the challenge of the Sun Belt's top defensive team in the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (11-3, 4-1) in a Saturday noon tip in Atlanta.
    GSU is still yet to have all 14 players on the roster active at the same time this season with starter Tatianna Jackson missing a sixth-straight game with her ankle injury and Kierra Henry joining her in rehabilitation last week. Leading scorer Makeba finally returned to action last Thursday after a two-game absence. And, Gerrin missed the first four games before working back into play, while Norwood wasn't NCAA-transfer eligible the first semster of play in November and December.
    Up-tempo GSU is No. 3 in the Sun Belt in scoring, No. 82 NCAA (70.2 ppg), No. 2 in both rebounding (40.8) and offensive rebounding (15.7), No. 2 in steals, No. 36 NCAA (10.3) and No. 4 in assists (12.5).
    The Ragin' Cajuns are tied for second place in the Sun Belt at 4-1 and are there because of a stingy defense that allows just 55.4 points per game (No. 47 NCAA). Their defense forces 21.5 turnovers per game (top 10 NCAA) and averages 9.1 steals per game. Their turnover margin leads the SBC at +7.6 per game, No. 7 NCAA (195 TO-301 takeaways).
     The room for major improvement stat that Panther coach Sharon Baldwin-Tener keeps preaching is free throw shooting where the team is shooting just 64.2 percent.
    Sophomore preseason All-Sun Belt guard Makeba Ponder again leads the Sun Belt in 3-point baskets made per game (2.3, 27 in her 12 games played) and is No. 9 in the Sun Belt in scoring (13.3). Ponder is averaging 16.6 points per game over her last 5 games. Ponder is also No. 11 in steals (1.9 per game).
   Freshman PG Madison Newby leads the Sun Belt in assists (70, 5.0) and is No. 15 in steals (24, 1.8) and has her scoring average up to 9.2 points per game with seven double-figure games. Junior transfer forward Alaysia Mitchell leads the Panthers in rebounds (6.1, No. 10 Sun Belt), had a double-double last Thursday, missed by one rebound of a double-double Saturday and has six double-figure scoring games to average 9.6 ppg.

RAGIN' CAJUNS TALK DEFENSE

    The Ragin' Cajuns allow just 55.4 points per game, holding four of their 5 Sun Belt opponents to 58 or fewer points.
     UL Lafayette forces 21.5 turnovers per game (21.5) to rank in the top 10 in the NCAA. They are No. 5 in the Sun Belt in steals (9.1), No. 82 in the NCAA. Their ratio of turnovers to takeaways is No. 7 in the NCAA (195-301, +106, +7.6 per game).

MAKE THAT 2-0 VS. THE SEC

    The Ragin' Cajuns opened the season with a bang, topping Ole Miss 82-78 in Oxford, Miss.  They followed that up later with a 67-59 win over the Arkansas Razorbacks.

WHO'S HOT

•  Makeba Ponder has made at least one 3-point basket in 13 consecutive games and 21 of her last 22 games played. Ponder has scored 83 points in last 5 games (16.6 ppg).

•  Madison Newby has 52 assists in last 8 games (6.5 per game).

•  Kennesha Nichols has made 14 of  23 field goals (60.9%) with 28 points (7.0) and 19 rebounds (4.8) over last 4 games.

•  Astaja Tyghter has scored 72 points in the last 6 games (12.0)

•  K.K. Williams has made 7 of her last 9 free throw attempts (77.8%).

•  Morgan Jackson has made 8 of 9 free throws this year (88.9) and Erica Norwood has made 7 of her 8 attempts (87.5).

•  While Coach Baldwin-Tener picked up career win No. 260 Thursday, she's still “hot” as in “under the collar” with the team's free throw shooting.

NOT FOR LONG

    If Madison Newby has the ball, it probably won't be for long. The SBC leader has 70 assists with games of 12, 9, 9 two with 6 and three with 5.

DEFENSE WINS

   Georgia State has a history of pressure defense and ball steals under Coach Baldwin-Tener.

   In 2015-16, GSU is averaging 10.3 steals per game to rank No. 36 in the NCAA and is forcing 18.9 turnovers to rank No. 60 in the NCAA.

    GSU's 6 wins of 2015-16 have seen the defense yield 52, 58, 61, 62, 63, 63 and 72 (OT) points. The team allowed 60 points in the loss to South Alabama.

  The Panthers have run the pattern to 27 wins in the last 32 games when keeping the opposing team below the 60-point line. The first one in 2015-16 was holding Howard to 58 points and then 52 vs. ULM.

BY THE NUMBERS

 10.3 - Steals per game that GSU is averaging this year with 144 in the 14 games (No. 36 in NCAA).

  12 -  Number of different players to start a game so far this year for GSU.  It could rise if Haley Gerrin, or Kierra Henry earn the assignment from the coach.

  15 -   Number of road games GSU will play this year.

  15.7 - Number of offensive rebounds the Panthers are averaging this year to rank No. 2 in Sun Belt.

  18.9 - Number of turnovers GSU forces per game (No.55 in NCAA).

  40 -  This is the 40th year of Georgia State women's basketball.

  71 -  Career 3-point baskets by senior guard Ashlee Cole.

  70.2 - Points per game GSU is averaging after scoring 90 twice this season. GSU is No. 82 in the NCAA in scoring.

  96 -   Career 3-point baskets by sophomore guard Makeba Ponder.

  220 - Number of offensive rebounds GSU has this year (15.7 per game) to rank second in the conference.

  260 - Career wins by head coach Baldwin-Tener.

  500 - Career point total. Makeba Ponder has 477 points in her 40-game career. The sophomore needs 23 more to hit the 500-plateau.