Georgia State will attempt to win its fourth consecutive game tonight against North Carolina Wilmington when the teams tangle at 7 p.m. at the Sports Arena.

How has the team turned things around after losing seven of its eight games before the streak?

I’m glad I asked.

1. The emergence of Manny Atkins. He has scored at least 20 points in three of the past four games. As I noted in yesterday’s feature, his ability to hit 3-pointers is beginning to open up the floor for everyone else. Coach Ron Hunter said they have changed the offense a little bit to help both Atkins and R.J. Hunter. Instead of running a lot of ball-screens, which were 50 percent of the sets earlier in the season, they are running more screens, which is letting Atkins and Hunter stop-and-pop, rather than having to put the ball on the floor and create a shot. Hunter said it’s no coincidence that Markus Crider, who was struggling, is playing better. Center James Vincent is also starting to play better, possibly because he is getting more room to move around in the paint with Atkins, Hunter, Devonta White and Rashaad Richardson floating around the perimeter. All four can hit 3-pointers.
2. How that affects the defense. When Georgia State makes baskets, it can then press on defense, which can immensely help a team that’s not very tall. (At some point in games, the Panthers may feature a lineup that doesn’t have a player taller than 6-7.)
3. The settling of the rotation. Denny Burguillos and Cameron Solomon haven’t played in the past two games after they were ruled academically ineligible. That is currently being reviewed. However, even if they are allowed to come back to the team Ron Hunter said they likely won’t be re-inserted into the rotation. While Solomon has provided a scoring spark this season and Burguillos has provided minutes, when a team features as many 10 players in one game, it can be hard for everyone to feel comfortable because roles can be blurred.

Here’s a statistical look at the difference in a few key players during the streak, compared to their season average: