The Georgia State Panthers (16-12) will have their hands full against the top scoring defense in the Sun Belt when they take on the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks (18-12) at Fant-Ewing Coliseum. Action begins at 5:00 pm ET on Saturday, Mar. 5 and will air on ES3.
The Warhawks enter this game hoping for similar success after defeating Georgia Southern 83-76 on Thursday. Majok Deng was a key piece, recording 16 points and 11 rebounds to notch his sixth double-double this season. The Panthers, meanwhile, are coming off a 72-69 win against Louisiana-Lafayette on Thursday. Kevin Ware shot 5 for 10 and led in scoring with 16 points.
This is the second game of the season between these two teams, with the Panthers winning the first matchup 65-51. Jeff Thomas was a standout player in the game, producing 14 points, one rebound, one steal, and four three-pointers.
The Warhawks look to build on their records of 18-12 Straight Up (SU) and 15-11 Against The Spread (ATS). In their last 10 games, they are 2-7-1 ATS. The Warhawks have seen a decline in scoring as of late, averaging 63.7 points during the last 10 games compared to their season average of 73.0 points per game. Crossing over to the defensive side of the court, opposing offenses have been stifled by the Warhawks, who allow a field goal percentage of only .408.
In the other locker room, the Panthers have records of 8-17-1 ATS and 16-12 SU. Most recently, Georgia State is 7-3 ATS over the last 10 games. The Panthers have shown improvement on the offensive end over the most recent 10 game stretch. Over that span, Georgia State is averaging 74.7 PPG, significantly more than their season average of 65.4. The Georgia State defense as a whole has been firing on all cylinders so far, ranking 19th in Division I with only 64.1 points allowed per game. Georgia State’s defense is one of the top in the nation, with opponents shooting only .399 from the field.
Georgia State won the last meeting this season between these two teams, bringing its SU record in their most recent games to 5-0. Additionally, Georgia State leads the matchup ATS with a record of 4-1. Neither team was able to hold the edge in field goals, rebounds, or three-pointers over the course of their latest five contests.
Predictions: SU Winner – UL-Mon, ATS Winner – UL-Mon
Notes
Louisiana-Monroe averages 73.0 points per game, placing the team just 144th in the nation. Georgia State ranks 19th in points allowed, giving up 64.1 points per game.
Georgia State won its last game by a three-point margin. In games decided by a margin of three points or less, Louisiana-Monroe is 2-2. Georgia State is 4-3 in close games this season.
On average, Louisiana-Monroe has 67.6 possessions per game and scores 1.081 points on each possession. Georgia State has both fewer possessions (65.6) and scores fewer points during those possessions (.998).
Louisiana-Monroe has an average effective field goal percentage of 51.1%. Georgia State is an abysmal 1-7 when opponents have a similar or higher effective field goal percentage.
On average, Louisiana-Monroe attempts 18.0 three pointers and Georgia State attempts 14.0. Both teams have winning records when they have 20 or more three point attempts. The Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks sit at 9-4 and the Georgia State Panthers are 3-1.
Georgia State is one of the top teams in forced turnovers, with opponents averaging a TO% of 21.7% (ranked 19th). Louisiana-Monroe has a poor record of 2-5 SU this season when its TO% reaches 21.7% or greater.
