Georgia State will journey to the Bluegrass State for a re-match with the Morehead State Eagles of the Ohio Valley Conference. The two teams met two years ago in Atlanta on Dec. 16, 2012 with GSU prevailing 61-47. The only previous meeting was a GSU 83-49 win in 1995-96 in Atlanta. Thus, this will be Georgia State's first trip to Morehead State. Listen live on GeorgiaStateSports.com with a 2 p.m. tip time on Sunday.
The Panthers have to pack the baggage of a two-game losing skid after bowing to 4-2 Liberty 73-71 on Sunday and 5-2 Kennesaw State 73-64 on Wednesday. Those two stinging defeats followed a three-game win streak to open the season.
Morehead State has faced a rugged schedule to start the year, losing at Kentucky and Indiana, while bowing to 6-0 Ohio and 6-0 Akron. The Eagles defeated a former GSU CAA rival, George Mason 79-70 in Fairfax, Va. Morehead State's home loss was a 61-59 decision to the Atlantic Sun's Lipscomb.
Georgia State's success usually starts with its defense. The Panthers have won 22 of its last 25 when holding its opponent under 60 points, including all three wins this year. GSU has forced 104 turnovers in its first five games (20.8 per game), while leading the Sun Belt in steals per game (11.0). GSU is solid in 3-point defensive percentage (26.3) and is third in overall field goal percentage allowed (39.8) as they contest all shooters.
The Panthers play a deep roster as 11 players have averaged more than 10 minutes a game in the early going of the season. Three of the top six scorers have come off the bench to do so this year.
Georgia State will have final exam week following this Sunday game.
THIS GAME'S OPPONENT
Morehead State, a member of the Ohio Valley Conference, is located in a city east of Lexington, Ky. and west of Huntington, W. Va. off I-64. The Eagles are off to a 3-5 start to the 2014-1 season.
Morehead State has approximately 11,000 students with some notable alumni sports figures like QB Phil Simms, ESPN announcer and former coach Mike Gottfried and current Tennessee men's basketball coach Donnie Tyndall.
Senior guard Almesha Jones scored her 1,000th career point on Wednesday vs. Ohio and was an early NCAA leader in assists per game (54, 9.0 in Dec. 2 stats) to go with her 14.7 points per game. 6-foot-2 sophomore post player Shay Steele leads the team in scoring at 15.4 points per game. Freshman Eriel McKee has come on to add 14.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game.
Coach Greg Todd is in his first season as the head person at Morehead State after eight years at D-III women's basketball power Transylvania. He had four 20-win seasons and three NCAA bids.
DEFENSE WINS
Georgia State has a history of pressure defense and ball steals under Coach Baldwin-Tener.
The team is off to a rousing start with 104 turnovers forced (20.8 per game) and 55 steals made (11.0 per game) in the first four games.
GSU has held three opponents under 60 points and that is almost a guaranted method for a win.
With 59, 55 and 56 allowed this year, the Panthers have run the pattern to 22 wins in the last 25 games when keeping the team below the 60-point line.
Georgia State has limited the first five opponents to 39.8 percent field-goal shooting and 26.3 3-point shooting.
Fast starts helped in the three opening games as the Panthers limited those opponents to 26, 27 and 30 points in the first half.
In the first five games this year, Georgia State has scored 107 points off the turnovers of the opponents.
NCAA stats on Dec. 1 showed GSU No. 15 in steals (13.3) and No. 15 in turnover margin (+8.75) among the 349 Division I schools. The Panthers are No. 51 in 3-point defense (25.4) and No. 91 in points allowed (60.8).
NUMEROLOGY
• Point guard Alisha Andrews scored her 1,000th point in last year's Sun Belt tournament game (1,063 current).
• Andrews needs 12 assists for 500 in her career.
• Andrews has streaks of 102 consecutive games played and 102 consecutive games started.
• Andrews needs 24 3-point baskets for the 200-career milestone
• Kayla Nolan has a streak of 95 consecutive games played.
• Nolan needs 3 points for the 700-point career milestone.
• Miranda Smith scored her 300th career point Wednesday.
• Ashley Watson needs 33 points for the 500-point career milestone.
• Coach Sharon Baldwin-Tener needs seven wins for the 250-win career milestone and two wins for 50 at Georgia State.
MAKING THE 3-POINT BASKET
Georgia State, like many teams in this era, does not rely on just one or two 3-point shooters, as a variety of players are capable of hitting the long shot.
Career 3-Point Baskets Made
Alisha Andrews 176
Ashlee Cole 51
Gaby Moss 39
Kayla Nolan 32
Morgan Jackson 21
Makeba Ponder 9
Miranda Smith 8
Total 336
2014-15 Season 3-Point Baskets (5 games)
Ashlee Cole 9
Makeba Ponder 9
Alisha Andrews 6
Gaby Moss 2
Kayla Nolan 2
Morgan Jackson 2
Mariam Hannoun 1
Total 31 (6.2 per game)
