Georgia State men’s basketball suffered defeat in double overtime against the Texas State Bobcats by a final of 77-74 on Monday at the Sports Arena. The defeat places the Panthers’ record at 9-5 for the season and 2-1 in Sun Belt play.
First Half
Texas State’s Kavin Gilder-Tilbury scored the game’s first points giving the Bobcats an early 2-0 edge. Ryan Harrow tied it up with a layup shortly afterwards.
Markus Crider then made one of two free throws after being fouled by junior forward Emani Gant giving Georgia State a 3-2 early lead.
The Bobcats gained the lead by a margin of 4-3 with Wes Davis’ first pair of points of the game. The Panthers then went through a three minute stretch in which they missed three layups prior to a media timeout.
Texas State sophomore forward Kendell Ramlal then fouled Harrow placing him at the line for two more. Both of his free throws were successful as Georgia State went back ahead 5-4. Gilder-Tilbury then made one of two from the line to tie the score at 5 apiece after being fouled by T.J. Shipes.
Layups from Jalen Brown and Kevin Ware extended the Panthers’ lead to 9-5, before Bobcats junior forward Cameron Naylor got Texas State within two at 9-7 with a layup.
A four-minute stretch ensured both teams’ offenses could not score. The Bobcats did manage to assume a 10-9 lead with a dunk from Naylor and a made free throw by Ramlal after a foul charged to Crider. The Panthers gained the lead as Ware increased his point total to four on a transition basket.
Georgia State maintained their one-point lead at 13-12, which became 17-12 with a two-pointer by Crider and Harrow’s seventh and eighth points of the game.
Senior guard D.J. Brown answered with a three to trim the Texas State deficit back to two at 17-15, but another layup by Ware extended the Panthers’ lead back to four at 19-15.
The only points for the rest of the game would come via a layup by Naylor to produce a 19-17 score. The Panthers would lead as the game reached halftime.
Second Half
Gilder-Tilbury scored the first points of the second half tying the score at 19. A layup from Shipes gave Georgia State a brief lead prior to four consecutive points from Naylor placing Texas State ahead, 23-21. Harrow then tied this contest back at 23 as he increased his point total to 10.
The two teams would later see themselves tied at 25 apiece, and later at 27 apiece. Junior guard JaMarcus Witherspoon contributed a tipin off an offensive rebound placing the Bobcats ahead 29-27.
Bobcats junior guard Ethan Montalvo then fouled Harrow, who proceeded to make one of two from the line. R.J. Hunter was then charged with a technical foul sending Montalvo to the line, making a pair of free throws as Texas State led 31-28.
Harrow then made a jumper bringing Georgia State within one at 31-30, but a three by Tilbury extended the Texas State lead to four at 34-30. Two-pointers from Ware and Harrow tied it up at 34.
Bobcats junior forward Emani Gant’s first basket of the game gave the Bobcats a lead before Hunter’s first basket and Ware’s eleventh and twelfth point of the game gave Georgia State a 38-36 lead.
Brown gave the Bobcats a 39-38 lead with his second three-pointer of the game which was followed by a putback dunk by Shipes after an offensive rebound giving the Panthers a 41-40 lead.
Georgia State then had slim leads of 42-41 and 44-43. Crider forced a Texas State turnover which turned into a made three-pointer by Harrow. Hunter then did the same by coming up with a steal that became a layup as the Panthers had their largest lead of the game at 49-43.
The Bobcats answered as Naylor increased his point total to 16. Brown then made his third three-pointer of the game as the gap became one again at 49-48 with over three minutes remaining.
The Panthers then extended their advantage to 53-48 as Harrow’s point total became 17 and Shipes’ became six. But a three from Montalvo made it a two-point game again at 53-51.
A layup from Crider made it a 55-51 game in favor of Georgia State, but with less than a minute to play, Texas State scored threes from Montalvo and Brown taking a 57-55 lead with 17 seconds left to play. On the next possession, Harrow tied it up at 57 with his 21st and 22nd points of the game.
Brown attempted a three in hopes of winning for Texas State, but it was short. The following inbounds pass went to Harrow who could not make a halfcourt shot.
Overtime
Georgia State scored the first four points of the extra period with two Hunter free throws and a layup from Crider. This made the score 61-57. Gant then converted on a layup and a free throw after being fouled by Ware cutting the Bobcats’ deficit to 61-60.
Harrow’s following three-pointer upped his point total to 25 and the Panthers’ lead to 64-60. Gant made one of two from the line after being fouled by Shipes for a 64-61. A three from Montalvo and a two-pointer by Naylor made it a 66-64 game in Texas State’s favor.
Naylor then fouled Harrow as he made a layup. His ensuing free throw made it a 67-66 game with Georgia State leading. Ryann Green was fouled by Gant, then made a pair of free throws. This made it a 69-66 game, but Gant then made a buzzer-beating three to tie it at 69 as the game entered double overtime.
Double Overtime
Gilder-Tilbury drew a foul charged to Crider, then made a pair of free throws placing the Bobcats ahead 71-69. A layup from Hunter tied it again at 71.
The following Texas State possession saw Gant make a jump shot over Shipes placing his team ahead 73-71. Harrow then fouled by Montalvo, but only made one of two from the line.
The Bobcats then took a 75-72 lead after Gant increased his point total to 17. This became a 76-72 lead after a made free throw by Gilder-Tilbury after a foul charged to Crider. Brown then made a free throw after being fouled by Green to produce a 77-72 score.
Green made a layup with less than a second bringing the Panthers within three, but with time expired, it was Texas State who prevailed.
The Panthers will take to the court next on Thursday l as they travel to face Louisiana-Lafayette at 8:15 p.m.
Georgia State stats
Harrow: 29 points, 11-22 shooting
Ware: 14 points, 7-13 shooting
Texas State stats
Naylor: 18 points, 9-16 shooting
Gant: 17 points
