Four-game Homestand Begins with Appalachian State Wednesday
1/20/2010 4:12:00 AM | Men's Basketball
STATESBORO, Ga. - The Georgia Southern men's basketball team begins a four-game homestand with Appalachian State, Wednesday, January 20th at 7 p.m. The Eagles (4-15, 1-5) and Moutaineers (10-7, 4-2) are meeting for the first time in Southern Conference play this season.
THE PROMOTIONS:
It's Coca-Cola night at Hanner Fieldhouse and fans who bring in an empty Coca-Cola product can purchase a ticket for only $1. The game will also have a 1990s flavor in honor of Coach Charlton "C.Y." Young, Georgia Southern University Class of 1994.
THE COACHES:
Charlton "C.Y." Young is in his first year in Statesboro and first year as a head coach after 15 years sitting one chair away from the top spot. Georgia Southern hired one of its own to guide the program in April 2009.
Moutaineer Head Coach Buzz Peterson is in his second first year with Appalachian State, returning for his second stint as head coach in Boone (1996-2000). Peterson went to Tulsa for one year and then Tennessee (2001-2005) and Coastal Carolina (2006-2007). He has a 211-141 overall career record in 12 years and a 89-46 record at Appalachian State.
THE SERIES:
Appalachian State leads the series 19-15 and won at Hanner Fieldhouse (Feb. 2, 2009-- 95-82) and in the first round of the SoCon Tournament (March 6, 2009 - 86-75) in Chattanooga.
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
The Mountaineers Donald Sims was the SoCo player of the week for January 12 and recently reached 1,000 career points. Sims has led ASU in scoring 10 times this season and is averaging 19.1 points per game.
Georgia Southern guard Antonio Hanson has scored in double figures in four of the last five games and is the Eagles second-leading scorer with 11.9 points per game. Hanson is ranked 31st nationally for three-point field goals made with 2.9 per contest and is 46th in the country in three-point field goal percentage at 40.9 (56-137). He has 139 career treys at GSU for eighth on the Eagles' all-time list.
CY SAYS:
"We are facing the most dynamic guard in the Southern Conference in Donald Sims, he poured in 44 points at Davidson," said Charlton C.Y." It will be very difficult to slow him down, but if we can contain him, we'll have a chance to win at home. This is the beginning of four straight games in Hanner and it would be great to protect "our house."
LAST GAMES:
Appalachian State has won three in a row and used an 11-0 run late in the game to post a 72-64 win over UNC Greensboro last Saturday at home. Sims had 21 points and Isaac Butts pulled down 11 rebounds. The Mountaineers have surrendered just one fast break basket in the last four games.
Senior guard Antonio Hanson led Georgia Southern in scoring for the second straight game with 13 points, but the Eagles struggled from the field against Furman, falling 45-69 at Timmons Arena Saturday afternoon (January 16). Colby Wohlleb (Boca Raton, Fla.) finished with six rebounds, five coming in the second half, as the top total for the Eagles. Hanson scored 10 of his 13 points in the second half, hitting five field goals, including one three pointer.
