The latest round of the Georgia State-Georgia Southern rivalry went in favor of the Eagles as they defeated the Panthers by a final of 58-54 in Statesboro, Georgia. The loss brings the Panthers’ record to 15-8 on the season and 8-4 in the Sun Belt.
First Half
The game began with freshman point guard Mike Hughes making a three-pointer, giving Georgia Southern a 3-0 lead. Eagles guard James Allsmiller was called for a foul on Markus Crider, whose pair of free throws got the Panthers within one.
Senior forward Angel Matias then made a layup increasing the Georgia Southern lead 5-2 before four more points by Crider gave Georgia State the lead at 6-5.
Redshirt senior forward Eric Ferguson would make one of two from the line after a foul charged to Curtis Washington. It tied the two teams at six apiece before a dunk from Crider and a three-pointer by R.J. Hunter gave the Panthers an 11-6 lead.
Georgia Southern redshirt senior guard Jelani Hewitt responded with his first three-points of the game bringing the Eagles within two at 11-9. On the next Georgia State possession, after grabbing an offensive rebound, a layup by Hunter made it a 13-9 game in the Panthers’ favor.
With the score at 15-11 with Georgia State leading, Ferguson made one of two from the line after being fouled by Crider to bring the Eagles within three at 15-12.
After Hewitt made one of two from the line after a foul by Ryan Harrow, Crider upped his point total to 10 giving Georgia State a 17-13 lead.
With the score at 19-15, Harrow then increased his point output to four as the Panthers’ lead became six at 21-15.
The score later became 23-17 as Harrow upped his point total to six after being scoreless for most of the first half. The Panthers’ lead would be 25-19 as halftime commenced.
Second Half
The Panthers and Eagles traded the first pair of points of the second half bringing forth a score of 27-21. Layups from redshirt senior forward Trent Wiedeman and Hughes gave the Eagles two at 27-25.
With the score at 29-27 in the Panthers’ favor, Jordan Session got on the board with his first two points of the game extending the Georgia State lead back to 31-27.
Harrow made a pair of free throws after a foul by senior guard Curtis Diamond.
Ferguson then made one of two after a foul charged to Washington making the game 33-28. Hunter responded with a jumper bringing Georgia State’s lead back to seven at 35-28.
Sophomore forward Kyle Doyle answered with a layup bringing the Eagles within a score of 35-30. Washington and Session then contributed two-pointers as the Panthers lead became 39-30.
The lead was then cut to five with three-pointers by Diamond and Hewitt as Georgia Southern went on a 6-2 run. Two free throws from Hewitt after a foul by Harrow gave the Eagles three at 41-38.
With 7:40 remaining in the game, a Hewitt steal of Kevin Ware led to a three by Hughes to tie the game at 41.
Georgia Southern’s run became 10-0 as Wiedeman made two free throws after Washington picked up his third foul. It also gave the Eagles a 43-41 lead.
Three consecutive points by Harrow gave the Panthers the lead briefly at 44-43 before another three by Hughes gave Georgia Southern lead to 46-44. The Eagles then scored three more from Alsmiller extending their lead to 49-44.
With the score at 51-46 in the Eagles favor, Georgia State would get a three by Hunter closing the gap to 51-49. Hunter then committed a foul against Hughes placing him at the line making both free throws.
Hewitt did the same as he made two free throws extending the Eagles’ lead to 55-49. He would make one more after a Ryann Green foul making the score 56-49.
The first two points of the game by T.J. Shipes were followed by a free throw from Diamond, after a foul by Green, as the tally became 57-51.
Ware’s first three points gave the Panthers three at 57-54 with three seconds left. After Green picked up his third foul, Hewitt made one of two from the line producing a 58-54 score.
The game ended with Georgia Southern defeating Georgia State in Statesboro.
The Panthers will return to the hardwood on Saturday at 5 p.m. on the road as they face South Alabama.
| Georgia State | Georgia Southern |
|---|---|
| Harrrow: 17 points, 7-17 shooting | Crider: 14 points, 6-9 shooting |
| Hughes: 15 points, 3-4 shooting | Hewitt: 13 points, 7-10 free throws |
