Previewing Georgia State vs. Arkansas-Little Rock

The Spartans (5-6, 0-1) are coming off a 83-79 loss to Louisiana-Lafayette. Little Rock’s best win this season came against Bradley, though the pickings are slim. They were also blown out by Green Bay, as was Georgia State. But the Panthers also posted a big win over the Green Bay in the first game in the home-and-home series.

Can Crider keep it going? Forward Markus Crider posted his first double-double in the win over Louisiana-Monroe with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Playing out of the high post, Crider was very difficult to handle because he can hit that 10-foot jumper or blow right by his defenders to get to the basket. Crider last year showed an ability to play very well in spurts – he had three consecutive games last year with of 10, 12 and 12 points – before his production dropped off again. But Crider is a year older and always seems confident. Crider will have a challenge with James White and Roger Woods in the Little Rock's front court. They are combining to average more than 25 points and 13 rebounds.

Can Hunter find his shooting stroke? R.J. Hunter remains Georgia State's leading scorer but it's no secret that he has yet to find his shooting form this year. In the past four games he has hit just six of his 30 3-point attempts. Several bounced in and out against Monroe, which eventually resulted in Hunter showing a bit of head shaking and anguish with the lack of results. For the season, he is hitting just 31.1 percent of his 3-pointers, far below his 36.9 percent career mark. It's not so bad that he's not hitting his 3s because Ryan Harrow has usually been there to add his points. However, he has struggled to find his form in the past two games with just 10 shots made in 33 attempts.

Will Washington find his fire? Curtis Washington was benched in the second half of the win over the Warhawks because coach Ron Hunter didn't like his lack of energy in the first half. I've been critical of Washington for a similar reason, but it's difficult to leave the guy who is usually the tallest player on either team sitting on the bench. Washington doesn't have to score. He doesn't even have to block shots. He just needs to alter shots/affect shooters and box out He is capable of these things. He usually does these things in small bursts. The key is doing them most of the time. T.J. Shipes, who missed the last game with an abdominal injury and is averaging 5.7 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, has been cleared to play and practiced with the team on Thursday. He will likely be back in the starting lineup, which will push Washington back to the bench. With the way Jordan Session and Jalen Brown played on Thursday, each bringing energy and aggressiveness on the defensive end, Washington will have a challenge ahead of him.