Georgia State Panthers to have basketball game televised on ESPN

Feb 16, 2013; Fairfax, VA, USA; Georgia State Panthers guard R.J. Hunter (22) looks to drive past George Mason Patriots guard Sherrod Wright (10) during the first half at Patriot Center. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-USA TODAY Sports

It’s not every day that a member of the Sun Belt Conference has any game, much less a conference game, televised by the “Worldwide Leader in Sports”, but Georgia State has been bestowed with that honor.

The February 15th match-up with Troy is now a scheduled 6:00 pm ET tip-off (the above time is central time) that will be nationally televised, and the Panthers have certainly earned the extra eyeballs on their play. GSU has won 11 consecutive games (tied for the school record) behind an ultra-talented group that reminds local fans of a more national powerhouse, and while the game is on the road, it is a very winnable one for the Panthers.

Ironically, Troy is one of the lower-tier teams in the Sun Belt (7-13 overall, 2-6 in conference play), making this a bit of an odd inclusion on the national slate, but sometimes, things fall perfectly. R.J. Hunter, Ryan Harrow, and company are beginning to generate a big-time following around the city of Atlanta, and with the way they are currently performing, Georgia State may be the one and only local team to make an NCAA Tournament appearance this season.