Ron Hunter says he stinks.
But he’s OK with it.
He hasn’t washed his game-day shirt, pants, socks or unmentionables during his team’s four-game win streak. He has forbidden his assistants from washing theirs as well.
So Hunter will once again model his Johnny Cash Fairway line —- all black pants, golf shirt and v-neck sweater – when Georgia State (10-11, 5-3) goes for its fifth consecutive victory at Drexel (7-11, 3-3) on Saturday. The team seems to have changed its fortune – but not some of their clothes — since losing seven of eight games in the stretch before the win streak.
“They will not be washed,” Hunter said. “We are going to keep this thing going.”
Many of the troubles the team had earlier this season have improved during the win streak.
The emergence of Manny Atkins and a subtle change in strategy from fewer ball-screen plays to more regular screens has helped to free up the Panthers’ numerous jump-shooters. They are hitting 39.5 percent of their 3-pointers, compared to the 33.3 percent they were hitting before the streak.
Because the team is scoring almost 10 more points a game during the win streak, they have more opportunities to press. Partially as a result, the defense is holding opponents to an average of 5 1/2 fewer points a game.
“We are playing very good basketball and am really happy for the kids,” Hunter said. “I said at some point things would change for them and boy, the lights have gone off.”
In Wednesday’s 81-63 victory over Wilmington, the Panthers ran out to a nine-point lead by hitting three consecutive 3-pointers, making four steals and scoring eight points off turnovers in the game’s first nine minutes.
The players said they didn’t lose confidence, even in the head-scratching losses to Troy and Georgia Southern in which the Panthers blew leads late.
“We’ve been telling ourselves after every game we have to keep fighting,” Atkins said. “At some points, the luck is going to change. Now we have a winning attitude. If we keeping playing the way we are playing, we will keep winning.”
The next two games will be a test.
Drexel ran away from the Panthers in the second half to win 77-60 in the conference opener on Jan. 2. The Dragons were the preseason pick to win the conference, but lost three consecutive games after beating Georgia State. They have rebounded with wins at William and Mary and at Hofstra.
After the trip to Philadelphia, Georgia State’s road trip will end at Northeastern, which is unbeaten in the CAA this season. The Panthers have yet to play the Huskies this season.
Hunter said though the team is playing better, he recognizes that there is still room to improve. The team is still experiencing mental lapses, which were issues during the losing streak. After the Panthers opened up a 19-point lead against UNCW, the players seemed to lose their intensity and the Seahawks whittled the lead down to six in the second half. But Georgia State responded well and re-built a comfortable lead.
However, Hunter said his team also has yet to peak. If the Panthers win both and extend the win streak to six games, Hunter’s clothes may be able to walk themselves back from Boston.
But he’s OK with it.
“Big picture, we are getting better, we are getting better,” Hunter said.
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