On Saturday from the Sports Arena, Georgia State women’s basketball was defeated by the University of Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans by a final score of 75-55. The loss brings the overall record for the Panthers 6-5 and a 1-1 mark early in Sun Belt competition.
The Trojans began the game with a 7-0 run with five points from Taylor Gault and a layup courtesy of Kaitlyn Pratt. Georgia State scored their first four points of the game with two layups by Haley Gerrin, but Shanity James and Alexius Dawn answered with two-pointers each, extending UALR’s lead back to seven at 11-4.
Pratt then contributed another two-pointer for an 13-4 advantage for UALR that expanded the Trojans’ lead to nine. Instrumental in Georgia State’s struggles early was Brittany Logan drawing two early fouls.
The Panthers then cut their early deficit to five with Alisha Andrews first three points of the game along with a made free throw from Kayla Nolan.
Gault increased her point total to seven bringing the game 15-8, but the Panthers would get more contribution from Andrews with her first three-pointer of the game. Kennesha Nichols then got on the scoreboard with a fastbreak layup cutting the Georgia State deficit to two at 15-13.
Nichols was charged with a foul against Gault, who made both of her ensuing foul shots. Two-point shots from Andrews and Gaby Moss were both good to bring forth a tie game at 17. Nichols extended the Georgia State run to 6-0 as the Panthers took the lead at 19-17.
UALR answered with five points with a two from Kiera Clark and a three by Dawn, who would later foul Ashley Watson placing her at the line. Off one of two made free throws by Watson, the Trojans expanded their lead to eight with two-point baskets by James, Pratt, and Clark making the score 28-20 in favor of the Trojans.
A two pointer from Makeba Ponder served for her first points of the game, but a three from Dawn and a two-pointer by Gault extended the UALR lead 33-22.
The Panthers’ coaches were frustrated as they felt the game was not evenly officiated by the referees. This culminated in a technical foul that was assesssed against Erin Batth to placed Gault back at the line. She made both of her free throws to expand the lead to 34-22.
After a jump shot from Ka’Neisha Cobbins, Gault was then charged with a foul against Ashlee Cole, sending her to the free throw line. She made both of her free throws, but Gault then made two free throws after a Nichols foul making the score 39-24. Nichols then made a pair of free throws off a foul by Cobbins bringing the score to 39-26, the eventual halftime tally.
Second Half
The second half commenced with Pratt and Logan trading layups bringing the tally 41-28. James then called for a foul on Ponder as she made two free throws making the score 41-30, but five consecutive points by Dawn extended the UALR lead to 46-30. Another layup from James extended the run for the Trojans to 7-0 and the advantage 48-30.
The score became 48-32 as Logan upped her point total to four, but another three by Dawn made the score 51-32.
The Trojans’ advantage became 53-34, and then 55-36, after a layup by Nolan. Clark made one of two free throws after Logan picked up her third foul. This made the Trojans’ lead 56-38.
Four consecutive points from Watson brought Georgia State within 14 at 56-42, but after Andrews fouled Gault, she made one of two from the free throw line as the UALR lead became 57-42.
The Trojans’ managed to maintain their fifteen-point advantage. A layup by Cole and an Andrews free throw made the deficit 12 at 59-47. But, a layup from Dawn, three consecutive Gault points, a James layup and a Dawn three equaled a 10-0 run and a 69-44 point lead for UALR. This made their lead 69-47.
Early in that scoring stretch, Logan was also hit with a technical foul that disqualified her from the game.
The Panthers would score five straight points off two free throws by Ashanti Groover, a layup from Watson, and a free throw by Nolan. James made it a 19 point game again as she upped her point total to 12. The tally became 71-55 off a three-pointer from Moss.
A Cobbins layup and two made free throws by James brought the final score 75-55.
Georgia State will take to the hardwood Monday at the Sports Arena as they take on Texas State at 5 p.m.
| Georgia State | UALR |
|---|---|
| Andrews: 11 points | Watson: seven points, 3-4 FTs |
| Dawn: 21 points, 8-11 FGs | Gault: 21 points, 8-10 FTs |
