Georgia Southern men's basketball, following a regime change and a 17-16 record in 2022-23, embarked on its 32-game odyssey starting on Monday at Georgia Tech.
Despite the almost completely new staff and roster, head coach Charlie Henry believes in his squad to get the job done in 2023-24, recognizing the challenges of expectations on a first-year coach and his players.
"The expectations aren't much different than what they've been since I got here," Henry said. "We try to challenge our guys in four areas. We challenge them to bring positive energy every day, we challenge them to bring great effort every day, and then be coachable and great teammates. Those four expectations are the same four things we'll be asking once the games start."
The team began its season with a unique opportunity - battling a Power Five in-state opponent in Georgia Tech on Monday, November 6 - something Henry marked as an instant litmus test for the roster.
"I have great respect for Coach Stoudamire. He's been away from the college game for a few years but has done an unbelievable job in his previous stop and I'm sure he's going to do a great job at Georgia Tech," Henry said. "They're going to throw a lot at us, but we're excited to measure ourselves, not only against an in-state opponent but an ACC school. It's a reference point for us as we work and we have that to look forward to. We're very excited about that matchup."
The Eagles brought in some notable transfers, all of whom figure to impact the roster in one way or another during this season, especially as veteran presences.
"I've always enjoyed guys that love basketball, and the sport is really important to them because we're going to ask them to do a lot on the court," he said. "It's easier to do that when you love the game. We look for culture fits, guys that love basketball and also how they fit in our system. We felt like we had to add shooting and defensive identity, and we weighed all those parameters when adding guys."
Making the transition easier was the return of a few important pieces. Carlos Curry, Derrick Harris Jr., Cam Bryant, Nate Brafford, Tyren Moore and Luke Keller all return to the roster having experience at Georgia Southern under their belts.
"You can see a foundation in the guys that were here before, especially defensively," Henry said. "Those guys love Georgia Southern and want to do something special here, and they've been great at being ambassadors of the program, whether it's embracing new guys or guys that come in on recruiting visits, and everything on the court as well."
The freshman class, featuring Collin Kuhl, Avantae Parker and Eren Banks, all have already had their presences felt on the court throughout the offseason, and the returners have played a large part in allowing them to recognize their fit at Georgia Southern.
The Eagles will have a trio of Power Five opponents on the schedule, including top-10 teams in Michigan State and Tennessee, while also playing several solid non-conference squads leading into conference play. Henry recognizes the challenge but also noted the adage of "iron sharpens iron".
"It's going to be a challenge, but we don't shy away from too many challenges. We'll be on the road for the first month of the season," he said. "That will give us an unbelievable opportunity to build that camaraderie as we're traveling together. We're playing to win, and we know we're going to have to fight, scratch and claw for everyone, beginning at Georgia Tech. Will there be lessons learned along the way? Absolutely, but I don't want to shy away from playing good teams."
Henry echoed a similar sentiment to the future Sun Belt matchups the team will have this season.
"I have great respect for the Sun Belt and having to win in that league," he said. "I'd rather know what we need to get better at in November so we can continue to improve heading into December and be ready to compete come conference play."
Georgia Southern dropped its season opener in Atlanta on Monday night, falling 84-62 to Georgia Tech (1-0) at McCamish Pavilion. The Eagles shot 40.4 percent overall, but just 27 percent from beyond the three-point line.
Georgia Southern will be back in action on Saturday in Ypsilanti, taking on Eastern Michigan in the first leg of the MAC/SBC Challenge.
