The Georgia State Panthers opened their 2019-20 season against the Brewton Parker Barons at the GSU Sports Arena. The Panthers coasted to a comfortable 104-35 win over the Barons, giving head coach Rob Lanier his first official victory. The 69-point win marks the biggest win in program history.
As any season opener goes, you had your positives and your negatives. So what went well?
The Offense Looks Phenomenal
The offense seemed to be picture-perfect, with five players scoring more than 10 points.
Senior Guard Damon Wilson ended the night with a team-high 22 points, shooting 8-for-10 from the field and 4-4 from downtown. Sophomore guard Nelson Phillips ended the night with 17 points of his own and electrified the crowd with some massive dunks. Overall, the team shot 50% from the field and 50% from 3-point land.
Brewton-Parker Had No Answer For The Panthers’ Defense
The Panthers opened up the game in a full court, man defense, applying pressure for all 40 minutes. Lanier’s men held the Barons to a measly 15 points in the first half, and 20 in the second.
The Panthers forced 29 turnovers, which led to 45 points.
Rebounding On Both Ends
The Panthers, regardless of positions, crashed the boards relentlessly Wednesday night. They finished the game with 55 rebounds, 23 of which were offensive.
Freshman center Joe Jones III lead the team in rebounding with 9. Freshman center Jalen Thomas and sophomore forward Kavonte Ivery each added 7 rebounds of their own.
Even in their 69 point blowout, there are still some things the Panthers can improve upon going forward.
Second Chance Points
The Panthers were able to get 23 offensive rebounds, but struggled to finish opportunities at the rim. From those 23 rebounds, they were able to get 19 second chance points, but missed many layups from point blank range.
Turnovers
Lanier’s men finished the game with 15 turnovers, 5 coming from Wilson. 12 of the 35 points for the Barons were scored via the turnovers.
Overall, the Panthers looked phenomenal in their home opener, and improved to 1-0 on the year. The Panthers travel to South Carolina next, to face off against College of Charleston on Nov. 9.
