Georgia Tech, Georgia State schedule three-game series in men’s basketball

Georgia State and Georgia Tech have agreed to play a three-game series in men’s basketball that begins with the upcoming 2020-21 season, the schools announced Wednesday.

Georgia Tech will host the Panthers at McCamish Pavilion on Dec. 16 this season and again during the 2021-22 season on a date to be determined. The Panthers will host the Yellow Jackets on a date to be determined during the 2022-23 season.

“We’re pleased to partner with Georgia State and head coach Rob Lanier to play the Panthers, and I believe our fans will be excited to resume this cross-town series and see the teams play each other again,” said Tech head coach Josh Pastner. “The great thing about this series is that fans of the both teams will be able to see all three games.”

The teams last played on Oct. 28, 2017, in an exhibition game won by the Panthers, 65-58, to aid the victims of the hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. The two squads last played in a regular-season game on Dec. 17, 2008, an 84-64 Georgia Tech victory at Alexander Memorial Coliseum. That was the final game of a three-game series between the two schools. The series dates back to the 1969-70 season with Georgia Tech holding a 17-2 lead advantage in the series.

“Both schools were in search of regional games so in that way, this series made sense for each of us,” Georgia State head coach Rob Lanier said. “We certainly wanted to play but Josh Pastner and Georgia Tech really deserve the credit for making this happen. By and large, the bigger schools hold the cards in these situations, and we are grateful that Tech has given us this opportunity. Atlanta is clearly one of the best basketball communities in the country. To have two strong local programs engage in a series like this brings an added level of interest.”