Georgia State University Basketball: A Legacy of Growth and Achievement

The Georgia State Panthers men's basketball team represents Georgia State University, competing in NCAA Division I's Sun Belt Conference. Their home court is the Georgia State Convocation Center in Atlanta, Georgia, and the team is currently under the leadership of Coach Jonas Hayes.

A New Era: The Georgia State Convocation Center

In 2018, Georgia State University unveiled plans for the 8,000-seat Georgia State Convocation Center to host the men's and women's basketball teams. This facility, located near the Turner Field property, broke ground the same year and was completed in time for the 2022-23 season. The Panthers previously played their home games at the GSU Sports Arena, a 3,854-capacity facility opened in 1972 as a student gym and physical education classroom space. The basketball court at the GSU Sports Arena was named the Charles "Lefty" Driesell Court in honor of the former Panthers men's basketball coach.

Coaching History: Shaping the Panthers' Identity

Early Years and Bob Reinhart's Tenure

Before Rob Lanier's appointment, Travis Williams served as interim coach, having previously been an assistant under Ron Hunter. Williams himself had a successful playing career for the Panthers, scoring over 1,000 points before graduating in 1995. Bob Reinhart coached the team from 1985 to 1994, amassing a 107-148 record. He took over a program that had just experienced a 2-26 season. In his first year, the team improved to 10 wins. The 1990-91 season was particularly notable, as Reinhart's team achieved several firsts in the conference tournament, including their first tournament win and victory over Little Rock. Reinhart was named Coach of the Year twice by the Atlanta Tip-Off Club, the first time after the 1990-91 TAAC tournament championship season.

The Lefty Driesell Era

Charles "Lefty" Driesell took over as head coach in 1997 and stayed for six seasons, achieving a 103-59 record and a .636 win percentage.

Rod Barnes' Leadership

Rod Barnes, former Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year (2001), coached the Panthers from 2007 to 2011, securing 44 wins against 79 losses.

The Ron Hunter Years: A Period of Unprecedented Success

Ron Hunter is the coach with the most wins in Georgia State history (171), leading GSU to six post-season appearances in eight seasons. Under Hunter, GSU won Sun Belt Conference titles in 4 of his last 6 seasons, including regular season championships in 2014, 2015, and 2019, and tournament championships in 2015, 2018, and 2019. During his tenure, the program produced three Sun Belt Conference Players of the Year: R. J. Hunter (2014, 2015) and D'Marcus Simonds (2018).

A significant moment occurred during the 2015 SBC tournament when, after beating Georgia Southern, Coach Hunter tore his Achilles tendon while celebrating with his son, R. J. Hunter. This injury required him to coach the NCAA tournament from a rolling stool. The team's dramatic comeback victory over the third-seeded Baylor Bears, capped by a deep three-pointer from R. J., resulted in Hunter falling off his stool in celebration, leading to widespread media coverage.

Jonas Hayes: The Current Leader

On April 11, 2022, Jonas Hayes was appointed as Georgia State's men's basketball head coach. Hayes had previously served as an assistant coach at Xavier for four seasons. In March 2022, he served as interim head coach for Xavier, leading the program to its first NIT championship in 64 years, with wins over Florida, Vanderbilt, and St. Bonaventure. Hayes is an Atlanta native and a former player at the University of Georgia from 2001 to 2004, alongside his twin brother Jarvis.

Conference History and Postseason Appearances

Throughout its time in the TAAC/Atlantic Sun, Colonial Athletic Association, and Sun Belt Conference, Georgia State has reached the conference championship 10 times. The team has made six NCAA tournament appearances and two National Invitation Tournament appearances, as well as two CollegeInsider.com Tournaments.

Rivalries: Defining Moments and Intense Matchups

Georgia State vs. Georgia Southern

Georgia State and Georgia Southern have a long-standing rivalry dating back to 1972, with a significant break between 1996 and 2009. While Georgia Southern leads the all-time series, Georgia State has won more games in the last 10 years. Home court advantage was a major factor, with the home team winning every game from 1996 until 2019. This streak was broken on March 9, 2019, when Georgia State defeated Georgia Southern in Statesboro in a regular season conference championship game. Georgia Southern holds a 38-26 series lead over the Panthers, but GSU has won 7 of the past 9 matchups, including three straight.

Read also: The Dynasty of Excellence

Georgia State vs. Louisiana

The Panthers and the Ragin' Cajuns have only met 19 times, but the series quickly became a heated rivalry after Georgia State rejoined the Sun Belt Conference in 2013. Since then, the two teams have combined for three regular season SBC championships and three SBC tournament championships, and have consistently led the conference in wins.

Georgia State vs. Troy

Georgia State and Troy have played each other since 1952. They began to play regularly while both were members of the Atlantic Sun Conference until 2005. Under Coach Ron Hunter, the rivalry remained competitive, with the Panthers going 7-8 against the Trojans during that time. A memorable game occurred on February 15, 2014, when the Trojans upset the Panthers 85-81 in a nationally televised game. Another notable moment was during the 2017 Sun Belt Conference tournament when #6 seed Troy upset #2 seed Georgia State in the semi-finals, preventing the Panthers from reaching the Championship game.

Statistical Achievements: Individual and Team Records

Single Game Records

Most points: 49 by Chris Collier (vs. Butler) on January 2, 1991
Most field goals made: 19 (Tied) by Chris Collier (vs. Butler) on January 2, 1991; by Bob Pierson (vs. Georgia Southern) on December 14, 1976; and by Jackie Poag (vs. Piedmont) on January 29, 1970
Most field goal attempts: 29 by Jackie Poag (vs. Piedmont) on January 29, 1970
Most 3-pointers made: 12 by R. J. Hunter (vs. UTSA) on December 22, 2013
Most 3-pointers attempted: 19 by R. J. Hunter (vs. Old Dominion) on December 15, 2013
Most free throws made: 18 by Ron Ricketts (vs. Houston Baptist) on January 15, 1976
Most free throws attempted: 22 (Tied) by Travis Williams (vs. Florida International) on January 14, 1993; and by Bo Wolfe (vs. Stetson) on February 24, 1990
Most rebounds: 28 by Ron Ricketts (vs. SE Louisiana) on February 22, 1975
Most assists: 15 by Howie Jarvis (vs. West Georgia) on February 20, 1970
Most blocks: 9 (Tied) by Curtis Washington (vs. Southern Poly) on November 9, 2013; James Vincent (vs. Monmouth) on November 20, 2012; and by Sylvester Morgan (vs. Georgia Southern) on January 20, 1990
Most steals: 8 (Tied) 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. Butler) on January 2, 1991

Freshman Records

Most points by a freshman: 527 by R.J. Hunter

Career Records

R. J. Hunter holds numerous career records, including:

Most 3-point field goals: 100
Most consecutive free throws made: 38
Total career points
Total 3-point attempts
Total 3-pointers made
Total field goals attempted
Total free throws made
Final free throw percentage

Notable Players: Transfers and Standouts

The Georgia State basketball program has seen several notable transfers, including:

Shernard Long: Transfer from Georgetown
Ryan Harrow: Transfer from Kentucky
Kevin Morris: Transfer from Georgia Tech
Manny Atkins: Transfer from Virginia Tech
Jeremy Hollowell: Transfer from Indiana
Kevin Ware: Transfer from Louisville
Chris Collier: Transfer from North Greenville Junior College. 1991 TAAC Tournament MVP.

Read also: Choosing Your UGA Major

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