Ron Hunter said he and Bob Hoffman probably are the only people who thought before the college basketball season that Georgia State and Mercer would be the only Division I teams from Georgia still playing in March.
Of course, Hunter coaches the Panthers and Hoffman coaches the Bears, so believing anything otherwise might not be the best motivation for their teams.
But here they are. Georgia Tech and Georgia didn’t advance past their conference tournaments. Kennesaw State didn’t qualify for its conference tournament. Savannah State lost Tuesday in the NIT.
So Hunter, Hoffman and their teams are the last ones standing. And after Saturday there will be one because the Bears will host the Panthers at 4 p.m. in the second round of the CollegeInsider.com tournament.
“That’s a good thing,” Hunter said. “Bob’s done a great job this year. It’s fitting the teams that are still playing will meet.”
Georgia State (22-11) defeated Tennessee Tech 74-43 in the CIT’s first round, while Mercer (23-11) advanced by knocking out Tennessee State 68-60.
This will be Georgia State’s second game this season against an in-state team, something Hunter said he wants to do more of.
The teams reached this point playing different styles with similar results. Neither has an established dominant scorer, spreading the offense to different players. Three Georgia State players average at least 10 points, led by Devonta White (12.7). Three Mercer players average at least 10 points, led by Langston Hall (11.4).
The Panthers like to use their various defensive schemes to set up a fast-paced offense that averages 67.8 points, while the Bears are more deliberate, but still average 68.0 points, taking more than five fewer shots per game than the Panthers.
Defense is the separator. The Panthers disguise their defenses well, using pressure to start and then using a matchup zone that can become man-to-man within the same possession. Led by 6-foot-10 Eric Buckner, Georgia State has limited opponents to 58.8 points per game. The Bears, featuring 6-10 Daniel Coursey, have allowed 62.6 points per game.
Hoffman said his team has to attack to have a chance to win.
“For us, no matter who we are playing, we have to get to the free-throw line,” he said.
