Manny Atkins came into Thursday’s game needing seven points to reach 1,000 career points, and did it in less than six minutes in Georgia State’s 75-60 victory over the University of Louisiana at Monroe at the GSU Sports Arena.
The Panthers’ (19-7, 12-1 Sun Belt) win put their magic number at two for clinching a top two seed in the Sun Belt Tournament. A top two seed would mean the Panthers do not start in the conference bracket until the semi-finals getting two bye-rounds.
Atkins hit two 3-pointers and one free-throws to reach the milestone. Like Monday night when Ryan Harrow reached 1,000 at the line, cheers of “That’s 1,000” rang out.
“I started out kind of hot, and I was feeling good about myself,” Atkins said. “As soon as I hit that seven-point mark, that was something special for me.”
“I think everybody at school told me about the seven points today,” Atkins added saying he was aware of how close he was to the milestone. Atkins said his mother was the first to let him know of the approaching milestone a few weeks ago.
“I think that’s extremely special,” Head Coach Ron Hunter said. “I’ll be honest with you, I don’t know if I’ll ever coach that again, and not many guys can say that you’re coaching four 1,000-point scorers in the same year.”
Atkins joined Harrow, Hunter and Devonta White in the 1,000 career-points club. Georgia State is currently one of three teams with four starters with 1,000 career points. The other schools are Elon and North Dakota State.
Atkins helped the Panthers get out to an 11-point lead seven minutes into the game. Atkins hit two 3-pointers along with two from White.
However, the threes stopped falling other than one more from Atkins in the second half, but that did not keep the Panthers from trying them attempting 26 in the game.
“We kind of got a little impatient, and we took that first available shot,” Hunter said comparing the game to the last time the two schools played where Georgia State went 5-of-17 outside the arc. Georgia State won that game 66-58.
Hunter said usually after games his team does not shoot well, the team goes “lights out” the next game adding that’s what the team needs Saturday against Louisiana-Lafayette.
The Panthers continued to be aggressive defensively pressing at the start of the game and finding ways to make steals. Atkins and White each made a pair of steals and Denny Burguillos made one.
Louisiana-Monroe had trouble getting through the Panthers zone in the second half shooting 32 percent in the half. Nick Coppola made a three to start the half for the Warhawks, but then went on a five minute drought allowing the Panthers to build an 18-point lead. The Panthers’ largest lead was 21 mid-way through the second half.
The Warhawks went on a 10-0 run late in the game, with several members of Georgia State’s bench in, but the Panthers were able to find their shot late to hold on for the win.
Marcus Crider was productive from the bench scoring a career-high 10 points making all five of his attempted shots from the floor. Crider also had three blocks and two steals playing 24 total minutes.
“I thought our bench won the game,” Hunter said. “We need that; when you play so many games in so many days you need your bench, you need that contribution.”
Atkins scored a game-high 21 points and nine rebounds with White right behind him with 20 points.
Taylor Ongwae, who scored a career-high 27 points in the two schools’ last meeting, but scored 14 points for the Warhawks Thursday while Nick Coppola scored 16 making four 3-pointers.
Burguillos made his first start this season because forward Curtis Washington was out with strep throat. Hunter said he hopes Washington will be back for Saturday’s game.
Georgia State has a quick turnaround before facing Louisiana-Lafayette Saturday at 8:30 p.m. at home.
