Panthers Head to No. 25 Cincinnati

ATLANTA– Georgia State heads to Cincinnati, Ohio to face the No. 25 Bearcats for sport two of the season on Friday, Nov. 7 at 7:00 p.m. ET. 

The Panthers opened the season on the highway at Eastern Michigan for the SBC-MAC Challenge on Monday, Nov. 3. The Panthers fell 71-49. 

Redshirt junior Jelani Hamilton earned 2025-26 Preseason All-Sun Belt honors after coming to Georgia State for the 2024-25 season and making a right away affect. Returning house, Hamilton performed in all 33 video games and led the staff with 38 complete steals. He completed the 2024-25 season averaging 10.8 ppg and three.5 rpg. 

The Panthers return six from the earlier season, together with affect starters in Jelani Hamilton and Malachi Brown, and welcome 9 newcomers (7 transfers, 2 freshmen) to the squad. 

The Panthers began the season with two exhibition video games, and went 1-1 going into common season play. Georgia State hosted the CareSource Invitational in opposition to Georgia earlier than heading down the highway to Morehouse. 

SERIES NOTES: Georgia State and Cincinnati are assembly for the second time in program historical past, and the primary time in the course of the common season. Last day out, the Panthers fell 68-53 within the first spherical of the NCAA event. 

SCOUTING THE BEARCATS: Cincinnati is 1-0 on the season after defeating Western Carolina 94-63 at house within the season-opener. 

During preseason motion, the Bearcats went 1-1 in exhibition play. Cincinnati defeated Michigan 100-98 on the highway earlier than falling 89-61 to Arkansas on the highway. 

KEY RETURNERS: In a reload low season for the Panthers’ basketball staff, head coach Jonas Hayes retained six members of the 2024-25 squad, together with Jelani Hamilton, Malachi Brown, Clash Peters, Trey Scott III, Emmanuel Koveos and Kwame Tanic.

The Panthers return two key guards in Jelani Hamilton and Malachi Brown who each appeared in all 33 video games for Georgia State final season.

Hamilton leads the Panthers with 13 factors, three rebounds, one steal and one help. A Marietta, Ga., native, Hamilton began 21 video games for the Panthers final 12 months and averaged 10.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg and 53 assists. The redshirt sophomore led the staff with 38 complete steals and posted Georgia State’s highest scoring mark of the season when he scored 32 in opposition to Taccoa Falls.

For the second consecutive 12 months, Brown leads the Panthers in assists with 4. The Buford, Ga., native began 31 of the 33 video games final season and put up 7.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg and three.4 apg, main the staff in complete assists (111) and second in complete steals (37). The junior completed fourth within the Sun Belt with a 1.85 help/turnover ratio and tenth within the convention for complete assists and assists per-game.

Brown posted a career-high in scoring throughout Sun Belt motion in opposition to ULM when he scored 19 factors, one in all 12 double-digit scoring video games from final 12 months.

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK: Head Coach Jonas Hayes and his workers have reloaded the GSU roster with the addition of seven transfers and two freshmen.

Junior Anthony Enoh leads the Panthers in rebounding with eight to date this season. His eight rebounds rank fourth within the Sun Belt for complete rebounds.  He is third within the Sun Belt in steals with three. 

Enoh averaged 11.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg and 1.4 apg throughout his sophomore season at Jessup.

The switch squad brings a mixture of expertise and youth together with Jakai Newton (redshirt sophomore, Indiana), James Cooper (graduate, Oregon), Joah Chappelle (sophomore, Pearl River), Isaiah Sherrard (junior, Moorpark), Anthony Enoh (junior, Jessup), Ayouba Berthe (senior, Minot State) and Christian Beam (sophomore, Southern Union State).

Sophomore Joah Chappelle is third on the Panthers’ leaderboard with 6.0 ppg, and ranks second in rebounding with seven.He averaged 16.3 ppg, 7.8 rpg and three.1 apg on his option to the MACCC’s Freshman of the Year award together with being named First Team All-MACCC. Chappelle scored in double figures in 26 out of 30 video games and had 20 or extra in eight video games and recorded six double-doubles.

Junior Isaiah Sherrard is second on the Panthers’ leaderboard with 7.0 ppg with three rebounds, one help, one block and one steal.  He was named WSC North Player of the Year together with being on the WSC North All-Conference First Team. Sherrard averaged 15.6 ppg and seven.4 rpg to associate with 1 spg and 1.5 bpg. The junior recorded 50.0/36.1/74.6 taking pictures splits in his time at Moorpark.

Sophomore Christian Beam is second within the Sun Belt in offensive rebounds after notching 4 in opposition to Eastern Michigan (Nov. 3).  Beam earned All-conference honors final season,having made Second-Team All-ACCC throughout his 12 months at Southern Union State. Beam, a 7-footer, averaged 8.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg and three.0 bpg highlighted by a 15/20/14 sport in opposition to Gadsden State.

Jakai Newton brings Power 4 expertise, having spent two years at Indiana, the place he noticed motion in 4 video games earlier than struggling a decrease physique damage. Coming out of highschool, Newton was ranked because the 86th-best prospect by 247Sports

Graduate James Cooper transfers in from Oregon the place he appeared in 28 video games throughout his 4 years there.

Ayouba Berthe performed his junior 12 months at Minot State and averaged 13.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg and 1.7 apg.

The Panthers return to Atlanta to host Presbyterian for the home-opener on Monday, Nov. 10 at 7:00 p.m.