Georgia State Basketball: 3 keys for Round of 64 matchup against Gonzaga

Play with a Chip

All week-long Georgia State is going to hear about how they were under seeded and deserved more especially given that the team battled injuries all year long. The Panthers would have likely done more if they did not lose some key players to injuries. Every rotation player except guard Kane Williams missed at least one game and big man and defensive anchor Eliel Nsoseme missed 10 games. All in all, it led to an 18-10 overall record and an automatic bid after winning the Sun Belt conference championship.

The chip on the shoulder is already going to be there, Georgia State wants to prove they belong in the tournament and nothing would show the country more than going toe to toe with the top seed for a while. Head coach Rob Lanier is going to pop in the tape of the Saint Mary’s over Gonzaga game, the one that Saint Mary’s won when they dominated the Bulldogs from tip to finish, and in that game, you will see a team who played physical without fouling and dictated the pace. The Panthers cannot get in a track meet with Gonzaga, or they will get run out of the gym.

Georgia State needs to play their brand of basketball and use their quickness and athleticism to force Gonzaga to play in the half-court. The lower the score of the game the better chances Georgia State is going to have to pull off the miracle and keep this game close for a while. The Panthers force teams to play at one of the slowest paces in the country on the defensive end. They are one of the best teams in the nation when it comes to protecting the rim and they are in the top 20 nationally in steals.

If they can step in the passing lanes and can get a few steals in the paint on the two super big men that Gonzaga runs out there it is only going to better the situation and build confidence. The longer that Georgia State can play with the Bulldogs the better off they will be. Confidence is a big thing in the game of basketball and while the Panthers are not short on confidence, successfully executing their game plan and playing within themselves or with a chip on their shoulder will help them in this game.