Georgia State Panthers men's basketball

GSU Sports Arena

The Panthers play their home games at the GSU Sports Arena, located at 125 Decatur Street in the heart of the Georgia State campus. The facility was originally built in 1972 as a student gym and classroom space for physical education classes. ^[3] The arena has a capacity of 3,854. ^[4] The basketball court is named the Charles "Lefty" Driesell Court in honor of the former Panthers men's basketball coach. After the 2014–15 season, the center-hanging scoreboard was replaced with a four-sided hanging video scoreboard. ^[5] Plans were released in 2012 to renovate the arena to turn the court 90 degrees, allowing for the court to be completely surrounded by seating with a new capacity of 5,000. ^[6] These plans have since been abandoned in favor of a brand new arena adjacent to Georgia State Stadium, which was previously known as Turner Field.

In 2018, it was announced that an 8,000-seat arena and convocation center just south of Interstate 20 near the recently acquired Turner Field property was in the process of being developed. This new facility, which is expected to be completed in 2021, will house GSU basketball games and commencement ceremonies, as well as concerts, and conferences. ^[7] The 200,000 square foot facility is expected to cost approximately $80 million.

Practice Facility

In March 2014, work was started on a practice facility for the team as part of an incentive package at the request of head coach Ron Hunter. ^[8] In April 2016, the facility was completed, slightly under its initial $1 million budget. ^[9] The facility was built using an unused aquatics facility, with the court being built over the swimming pool after being filled in with concrete and padding. ^[10] The court is named for Patty Ferrer and Cathy Henson, whose families were the main contributors to the project. ^[11] The facility is shared between the men's and women's basketball teams, as well as the indoor volleyball team.

Bob Reinhart

Coach Bob Reinhart coached the Georgia State Panthers men's basketball team from 1985 until 1994. In that time he managed 107 wins against 148 losses. He has the 2nd most wins in Georgia State history (107), and is 1st all-time in tenure (9 seasons); his winning percentage (.420) places him 4th all-time. Reinhart, an Indiana native; spent his freshman college season at Kentucky Wesleyan College and then transferred to Indiana University and played basketball for Branch McCracken for two seasons at Indiana University. He was a high school teammate of All-American Roger Kaiser.^[14]

Reinhart was also named the Coach of the Year by the Atlanta Tip-Off Club in 1990–91, leading the Panthers (16-15) to their first NCAA Tourney and again in 1994, when the Panthers finished 13-14; ironically, Reinhart was fired after the 1994 season and was replaced by his assistant and former player, Carter Wilson.^[15]

"Lefty" Driesell era

Charles "Lefty" Driesell first began coaching the Georgia State men's basketball team beginning at the 1997–98 season and staying for 6 years. He won 103 games and lost 59, giving a .636 win percentage. During his time coaching the Panthers, he won the 2000, 2001, and 2002 regular season conference title, the 2001 conference tournament, and advanced to the second round of the 2001 NCAA Tournament.

After the 2017-18 season, Driesell was inducted to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.^[16]

Rod Barnes

Coach Rod Barnes, former Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year (2001) winner, coached the Georgia State Panthers men's basketball team from 2007 until 2011. In that time, he managed 44 wins for 79 losses. At the end of the 2010–11 season, athletics director Cheryl Levick fired him with a year remaining on his contract. Current coach, Ron Hunter, was hired to replace him.

Ron Hunter

"Black Out" game against Georgia Southern in the GSU Sports Arena on Jan. 19, 2016

After the departure of Rod Barnes, 17-year IUPUI coach, Ron Hunter, was hired to take over the team.^[17] Known for his affiliation with Samaritan's Feet, a charity that donates shoes to children, Hunter brought with his tradition of playing one game per season barefoot in an effort to raise awareness to his cause.^[18] Hunter inherited a team mostly put together by his predecessor, a lineup that had only managed 12 wins the previous season.^[19] With this team, he finished with a 22-12 record– which was just the ninth winning season the program had achieved since its inception in 1984.^[20] His son, R. J. Hunter, remained in Indianapolis to finish his high school career with his mother while Hunter coached in Atlanta. R. J. was actively recruited the elder Hunter to play at Georgia State, where he committed over Virginia Tech, Wake Forest and Iowa.^[21] R. J. would eventually go on to become the school's all-time leading scorer while breaking many other offensive records.^[22]

Coach Hunter became the third Georgia State coach to take the Panthers to the NCAA Tournament during the 2015 iteration of the event.^[23] After beating Georgia Southern in the SBC Tournament, Coach Hunter tore his achilles tendon while running to his son R. J. Hunter in celebration, garnering attention from the media before their trip to the NCAA's.^[24] Due to his injury, Hunter was forced to coach in the NCAA Tournament from a rolling stool. After a dramatic comeback over the third seeded Baylor Bears capped by a deep three-pointer shot by his son, R. J., Coach Hunter fell off his stool in celebration. This resulted in a media firestorm resulting in multiple interviews, features, and a spot in "One Shining Moment" at the conclusion of the tournament. The Panthers would be eliminated from the tournament in the next round by Xavier.

As of the 2017–2018 season, Ron Hunter has the most wins in Georgia State history (140) and has guided GSU to five post-season berths in seven seasons. Under Ron Hunter, GSU has won the Sun Belt regular season championship twice (2014, 2015) and the Sun Belt Tournament championship twice (2015, 2018). His program has also produced the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year three times; R. J. Hunter (2014, 2015) and D'Marcus Simonds (2018).

NCAA Tournament results

Georgia State has been to the NCAA Tournament four times. Their combined record is 2–4.

NIT results

Georgia State has been to the National Invitation Tournament twice. Their combined record is 0–2.

CIT results

Georgia State has appeared in two CollegeInsider.com Tournaments. Their combined record is 1–2.

Georgia State vs. Georgia Southern

Georgia State and Georgia Southern have met on a regular basis since 1972 with the only significant break in the series coming between 1996 and 2009. While Georgia Southern leads the all-time series, Georgia State holds an 8–5 advantage during the Ron Hunter era. Home court advantage typically plays a major factor in this rivalry as the home team has won 13 straight match-ups dating back to 2009. Since joining the Sun Belt Conference, Georgia State is 2–0 against Georgia Southern in conference tournament play.

As of the end of the 2018 season, Georgia Southern currently holds a 36–20 edge over the Panthers.

Georgia State vs. Louisiana

The Panthers and the Ragin' Cajuns have only met 16 times in the history of their programs, but the game quickly evolved into a heated rivalry shortly after Georgia State re-joined the Sun Belt Conference in 2013.^[25] Since 2013, the Panthers and Cajuns have combined for three regular season SBC championships and three SBC Tournament championships. Also since that time, GSU and ULL have led the conference in wins, respectively. Ron Hunter is 9–3 against Louisiana Coach, Bob Marlin, since taking over the Georgia State program.^[26]

As of the end of the 2018 season, Georgia State currently holds an 11–5 edge over the Ragin' Cajuns.

Georgia State vs. Troy

Georgia State and Troy have met off and on since 1952. They began to play each other regularly while both teams were members of the Atlantic Sun Conference until 2005 when both members left, only to be conference mates again in 2013 when Georgia State joined the Sun Belt Conference. Both programs have ties because of Charles "Lefty" Driesell, who was head coach of Georgia State from 1997 to 2003. Troy's current head coach, Phil Cunningham, was an assistant under Driesell during his time at Georgia State. One of Driesell's grandsons is also a member of the Troy coaching staff.

As of the end of the 2018 season, Troy currently holds a 24–19 edge over the Panthers.

Team

• Most wins - 29 during the 2000–01 season
• Longest Winning Streak - 14 games during the 2013–14 regular season.
• Most free throws made in a game - 22 of 22 on January 9, 2014 against Western Kentucky
• Most assists in a game - 27 on November 14, 2015 against Tennessee Temple
• Most blocks in a game - 14 on December 1, 2011 against FIU
• Largest Margin of Victory - by 60 points on November 14, 2014 against Tennessee Temple

Personal in game

• Most points - 49 by Chris Collier (vs. Butler) on January 2, 1991
• Most field goals made - Tied 3 ways at 19, by Chris Collier (vs. Butler) on January 2, 1991; by Bob Pierson (vs. Georgia Southern) on December 14, 1976; and by Jackie Poag (vs. Chattanooga) on January 6, 1972
• Most field goal attempts - 29 by Jackie Poag (vs. Chattanooga) on January 6, 1972
• Most 3-pointers made - 12 by R. J. Hunter (vs. UTSA) on December 22nd, 2013 (beating his original record of 10 (vs. Old Dominion) on February 2nd, 2013)
• Most 3-pointers attempted - 19 by R. J. Hunter (vs. UTSA) on December 22, 2013
• Most free throws made - 18 by Ron Ricketts (vs. Southwestern Memphis) on January 20, 1971
• Most free throws attempted - Tied 2 ways at 22, by Travis Williams (vs. Florida International) on January 14, 1993; and by Bo Wolfe (vs. Rollins) on December 15, 1967
• Most rebounds - 28 by Ron Ricketts (vs. Baptist) on January 8, 1972
• Most assists - 15 by Howie Jarvis (vs. South Florida) on February 29, 1979
• Most blocks - Tied 3 ways at 9, by Curtis Washington (vs. Southern Poly) on November 9, 2013; James Vincent (vs. Monmouth) on November 20, 2012; and by Sylvester Morgan (vs. Mercer) on January 23, 2005
• Most steals - Tied 5 ways at 8, by R. J. Hunter (vs. UL Lafayette) on March 14, 2015; Shernard Long (vs. Campbell) on January 4, 2000; by Corey Gauff (vs. SE Louisiana) on February 27, 1992; by Dewey Haley (vs. Centenary) on February 2, 1985; and by Chris Collier (vs. Florida International) on December 20, 1989

Personal in season

• Most points - 742 by D'Marcus Simonds during the 2017-18 season
• Most points by a freshman - 527 by R.J. Hunter during the 2012–13 season ^[27]
• Most points per game - 21.1 by Ron Ricketts during the 1970–71 season
• Most field goals made - 277 by D'Marcus Simonds during the 2017–18 season
• Most 3-point field goals - 100 by R. J. Hunter during the 2013–14 season
• Most free throws made - 203 by Phillip Luckydo during the 1990–91 season
• Most consecutive free throws made - 38 by R. J. Hunter during the 2013–14 season
• Most rebounds - 328 by Chris Collier during the 1990–91 season
• Most double-doubles - 18 by Chris Collier during the 1990–91 season
• Most triple-doubles - 1 by D'Marcus Simonds during the 2017–18 season
• Most assists - 222 by Eric Ervin during the 1982–83 season
• Most blocks - 118 by Eric Buckner during the 2011–12 season
• Most steals - 84 by Kevin Morris during the 2000–01 season

Personal in career (at GSU)

• Total career points - R.J. Hunter at 1,819
• Total 3-point attempts - R.J. Hunter at 715
• Total 3-pointers made - R.J. Hunter at 253
• Total 3-point percentage - Marcus Brown at .449
• Total field goals attempted - R.J. Hunter at 1,321
• Total field goals made - Chavelo Holmes at 588
• Total field goal percentage - Chris Jackson at .604
• Total free throws attempted - Terrence Brandon at 531
• Total free throws made - R.J. Hunter at 448
• Final free throw percentage - R.J. Hunter at .853
• Total career rebounds - Terrence Brandon at 750
• Total double-doubles - Tied between Chris Collier and Quincy Gause at 29
• Total career blocked shots - Zavian Smith at 182
• Total career assists - Rodney Hamilton at 535
• Total career steals - Rodney Hamilton at 212
• Total games played - Markus Crider at 129
• Total games started - Rodney Hamilton at 105
• Total career wins - Ryann Green at 87

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