On Wednesday night from the Sports Arena, the record for Georgia State women’s basketball became 3˗2 as the Panthers were defeated by the Kennesaw State Owls by a final of 73˗64.
The Panthers had a lead at the half, but shot under 40 percent from the field after halftime.
“I thought they played harder than us,” head coach Sharon Baldwin˗Tener said after the game. “They got to the loose balls, they got to the rebounds. I think that made it more of a problem for us.”
Georgia State began the game with an early 6˗0 lead after a free throw by Haley Gerrin, an Alisha Andrews two˗pointer that was just inside the arc, and a three from Kayla Nolan, prompting the first timeout of the game by Kennesaw State. The Panther lead became 8˗0 with a jumper by Gaby Moss before the Owls’ DeAndrea Sawyers drained a three for the Owls’ first points of the game.
The first five points of the game for the Owls were courtesy of Sawyers as the score became 12˗5 before an offensive rebound and putback by Brittany Logan made the score 14˗5. The early Georgia State lead was also fueled by an early 8˗4 rebounding edge as well as a 4˗0 rebounding difference on the offensive glass.
Kennesaw State scored the next six points off two baskets from Jasmine McAllister and one by Aareon Smith to bring the Owls within 14˗11. The run became 9˗0 as a Sawyers three tied the game at 14.
With the score tied at 16, Sawyers upped her point total to 12 as Kennesaw State assumed its first lead of the game at 18˗16 before a layup by Gerrin tied it back up at 18 as she was fouled.
McAllister was then fouled by Kennesha Nichols as she made a layup then a free throw to make the game 21˗19 prior to the Panthers tying the game at 21 as Andrews increased her point total to four. The Owls took a lead as despite a Nolan rebound, Kristina Wells came up with a steal and a layup to make the score 23˗21.
After Nolan was fouled, she only would make one of two foul shots before a layup from Karly Frye extended the Owls lead to 25˗22.
Kennesaw State maintained its two point advantage prior to a jumper from Ashlee Cole and McAllister making one of two free throws after being fouled by Logan. Cole then drained a three pointer as Georgia State had the lead again with the score being 29˗28.
Off a two point Breonna Mosley layup, Cole’s second three of the game gave Georgia State a two˗point edge at 32˗30.
Georgia State’s lead would then be 34˗32 prior to Mosley making one of two free throws to make the score 34˗33. A 6˗0 run by the Panthers gave them their largest lead of the game since early in the first half for a 40˗33 lead prior to a pair of McAllister making two free throws after being fouled by Ashley Watson as the Panthers had a 40˗35 lead at the half. Cole led Georgia State at the half with ten points.
With 16:45 remaining, each team began the half with four points as the Georgia State lead was 44˗39. A Wells layup and free throw after being fouled by Andrews was followed by a three from Saunders for a 6˗0 Kennesaw State run and a 45˗44 lead for the Owls.
Kennesaw State’s advantage stayed at one as the game was 47˗46. A layup by Watson off the glass was followed by a three from Makeba Ponder made the game 51˗47 in favor of Georgia State.
The Owls tied the game at 51 off two point buckets from McAllister and Frye before Ponder’s second three made it 54˗51. The next minute would see a Wells jumper, a free throw from Nichols and a three by Aareon Smith as the score became 56˗55 in favor of Kennesaw State.
The Owls’ run extended to 9˗0 led by McAllister as the game became 62˗55.
With under five minutes to play, Kennesaw State’s lead remained at eight, then increased to ten at 69˗59 as Smith increased her point total to seven. Another jumper from Sawyers made the game 71˗59.
The Owls maintained their eleven point lead at 73˗62 prior to a two˗point basket by Miranda Smith. The 73˗64 margin would be Kennesaw State’s margin of victory.
The Panthers will take to the court Saturday as they face Morehead State in Kentucky.
| Georgia State | Kennesaw State |
|---|---|
| Cole: 12 points, 4˗8 FGs | Ponder: 9 points, 3˗5 shooting |
| McAllister: 26 points, 10˗15 shooting | Sawyers: 24 points, 8˗15 shooting |
