In a nationally televised matchup on Valentine’s Day from San Marcos, Texas on ESPN2, Georgia State men’s basketball defeated the Texas State Bobcats by a final of 53-41. The win for the Panthers ups their record to 17-8 on the season and 10-4 in the Sun Belt.
Leading the charge was R.J. Hunter, who finished with 17 points. Markus Crider came up one rebound shy of his fourth double-double on the season with ten points and nine rebounds. Georgia State also received a huge defensive effort, led by Curtis Washington’s three blocks going along with his nine points.
Missing from the contest for Georgia State was Ryan Harrow, who missed his second straight game due to concussion-like symptoms.
First Half
The Panthers began with a 5-0 run with a layup from Curtis Washington and three-point shot from R.J. Hunter. Sophomore Bobcats freshman Kavin Gilder-Tilbury would then be fouled by Washington, then only made one of two from the line.
Gilder-Tilbury would later foul Markus Crider, who made a pair from the free throw line increasing the early Georgia State lead to 7-1.
The Panthers maintained its six-point lead with scores of 9-3 and 11-5. With 13:48 remaining, T.J. Shipes was fouled by Gilder-Tilbury after making a layup. His free throw attempt was successful as Georgia State went ahead by a score of 14-5.
A three-pointer by senior guard D.J. Brown and a made free throw by junior guard JaMarcus Witherspoon made it a five-point game at 14-9. The Panthers answered with a 5-0 run with all five points coming from Washington expanding the Georgia State advantage to 19-9.
With the score at 21-11 in the Panthers’ favor, junior forward Emani Gant made one of two from the line after Crider picked up his second foul. Two more points each from Hunter and Isaiah Dennis along with a three from Jalen Brown expanded the Panthers’ lead to 16 at 28-12.
The final four minutes would see Texas State cut the Georgia State lead to eight with six points from Gant, two from junior Bobcats forward Cameron Naylor, and one from senior guard Wes Davis making the score 29-21 at the half. The only Panthers basket in that sequence came off a Hunter free throw after a foul from Davis.
Second Half
After a scoreless first two minutes of the half, Naylor made one free throw after a foul charged to Kevin Ware. Shortly afterwards, Shipes answered with his fourth and fifth points of the game extending the Georgia State lead to 31-22.
The Panthers maintained their nine-point advantage with leads of 33-24 and 35-26. With just over thirteen minutes remaining, Crider upped his point total to 10 with two made free throws after Naylor’s third foul. Washington then fouled Gant, who made his pair from the line. The score became 37-28 before a dunk from Washington made it an 11-point game again at 39-28.
Washington would foul Davis sending him to the line, then he made one of two from the line. A three-pointer from Ryann Green along with a two-point jumper by Ware made it a 15-point game for the Panthers at 44-29.
The ensuing two minutes would see junior Bobcats guard Ethan Montalvo score six consecutive points bringing Texas State within nine at 44-35. Davis’ third foul would send Ware to the line. Two free throws made it a 46-35 game for Georgia State.
Weatherspoon fouled Hunter when he was taking a three-point shot with 5:38 remaining placing him at the free throw line. He made all three of his shots giving the Panthers a 49-35 lead.
Layups from Brown and Weatherspoon were followed by another jump shot from Hunter, upping his point total to 15 and the Georgia State lead to 12 at 51-39.
After a media timeout with three minutes left, Hunter made a pair of free throws after a foul by Brown with 1:35 remaining. Shipes’ fourth foul came with over a minute remaining. It put Davis at the line, who made one of two at the line to make the score 53-41–the final score of the game.
The Panthers return home to the Sports Arena on Thursday night at 7 p.m. as they face South Alabama.
| Georgia State | Texas State stats |
|---|---|
| Hunter: 17 points | Crider: 10 points, 9 rebounds |
| Gant: 13 points | Montalvo: 6 points, 3-3, three-point shooting |
