Georgia State cruised by South Alabama 85-65 extending its winning streak to 13 Monday night at the Sports Arena.
There was little drama involved in the win compared to Saturday’s game where the Panthers overcame a 16-point deficit to push the game into overtime and defeat Texas-Arlington.
“It was such an emotional win on Saturday that we wanted to make sure we left that behind,” Head Coach Ron Hunter said. “We played business like today.”
Hunter was impressed with his starting forward, Manny Atkins, who finished with 20 points after having a sluggish game on Saturday shooting 3-of-9 from the floor.
“[Atkins knew] he did not play well the other night,” Hunter said.
“It’s midnight and everybody’s leaving here, and [Atkins] puts his practice gear back on and he goes in the gym to get shots up when everybody was celebrating,” Hunter said.
“I know what I can do, and I know my ability, and I didn’t think I played well at all,” Atkins said on Saturday’s game adding he told his family that night he couldn’t go with them because he needed to get ready for the next game.
Atkins found his shot Monday shooting 8-of-13 and made two 3-pointers. Defensively, he came away with a block and a steal.
It was the 20th meeting between the two schools, the second time this season. In that game, R.J. Hunter scored 30 points hitting five 3-pointers and 13-of-13 at the free-throw line, a school record.
Hunter got to work quickly in Monday’s game shooting three 3-pointers in the first half and then made two more to extend the Panthers lead. He finished with a game-high 24 points and five assists.
The Panthers first half points were driven by threes as they shot 8-11 having no trouble getting around the Jaguars’ defense creating wide open shots.
Panthers went on a 18-4 run in the first half to pull ahead of the Jaguars by a score of 41-25 at halftime, a deficit the Jaguars could not overcome.
Forward Curtis Washington scored 10 points giving a strong defensive effort to disrupt plays at the basket without committing a foul. Washington leads the teams in fouls this season with 55.
“‘If I’m doing something, I’ve got to get more boards,'” Atkins said Washington told him after Saturday’s game. “Today, [Washington] just came out with a lot more energy and played a lot more aggressive.”
Washington led the team in rebounds with seven with Atkins, Hunter and Devonta White grabbing four. The Panthers out-rebounded the Jaguars 24-21.
South Alabama shot 48 percent from the floor despite ranking last in the Sun Belt in field goal percentage averaging 39.5 percent before the game.
The Panthers were supposed to face South Alabama last Thursday night to try and break the record for the longest winning streak in the program’s history, but the game was postponed due to the snow storm that shut down Atlanta.
The Panthers go back on the road Thursday to face Arkansas-Little Rock. The Panthers have won six straight games on the road, four of them conference games.
