Georgia State defeated Louisiana-Lafayette 84-73 on Sunday to advance to the Sun Belt Conference Tournament Championship.
The Panthers are now a win away from an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Corey Allen led the way for the Panthers with 21 points, seven rebounds and five assists. He also hit a team-high four threes. The Panthers’ offense managed to keep the Cajuns away with timely shooting from Allen.
Eliel Nsseme logged another double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Ryan Boyce also added 13 points from the bench to aid in the win.
Georgia State took control early and led the Ragin’ Cajuns 52-34 at the end of the first half.
After halftime, the Ragin’ Cajuns cut the Panthers’ lead to three at 69-66 with eight minutes remaining in the second half. The Ragin’ Cajuns outscored the Panthers in the second half 38-32 but never managed to take the lead.
The Panthers shot 44% from the field, and Kane Williams, who struggled against the Red Wolves, had a solid outing with 11 points, three rebounds and five assists.
Next up for the Panthers is the Sun Belt title game on Monday night. The Panthers will face the winner of Appalachian State and Coastal Carolina.
