In the opening game of the Holiday and Hoops Classic, Georgia State women’s basketball earned a hard˗fought victory over the UMass Minutewomen by a final score of 71˗66 Friday at  the Sports Arena.
First Half
In the first half, a Brittany Logan layup gave the Panthers a 2˗0 lead before UMass’ Kim Pierre˗Louis tied the score at two apiece. This followed a jumper from Kayla Nolan to give Georgia State a 4˗2 advantage.
Nolan scored her third and fourth points of the game making the score 6Ë—2. PierreË—Louis was then fouled, placing her at the line as she made only one of two free throws.
With the score 6˗3 in favor of Georgia State, before an 8˗2 that included three˗pointers by Gaby Moss and Ashlee Cole upped the Panthers’ advantage to 14˗5, prompting a UMass timeout.
PierreË—Louis brought Massachusetts within seven at 14Ë—7 prior to another Logan layup to make the score 16Ë—7.
With the score 18Ë—9, the Minutewomen went on a 9Ë—2 run of their own. Three threeË—pointers from Emily Mital brought UMass to 20Ë—18.
Nolan responded with a three to extend the Georgia State advantage back to five prior to a layup from Massachusetts’ Rashida Timbilla. Makeba Ponder made her first three of the game bringing the score  26˗20 in favor of the Panthers. Two made free throws from Nolan, after being fouled by Amber Dillon,  extended the run to 5˗0 and the Georgia State lead to 28˗20.
With the score  30˗22, two more from Timbilla followed Ponder’s second three to make the score 33˗24.
The Panthers maintained their lead at nine with the score 35˗26. Cierra Dillard brought UMass  within seven at 35˗28 with two minutes left in the half. Mital nailed her fourth three of the game to bring the Minutewomen within 35˗31 going into the half.
Second Half
Another jumper from Pierre˗Louis before Ponder made another three pointer extended the Panthers’ lead 38˗33.
The score became 40˗35 in favor of Georgia State prior to Timbilla upping her point total to eight  bringing  the Minutewomen within three at 40˗37.
After two made free throws from Kennesha Nichols after a foul charged to Pierre˗Louis, UMass closed  within one with two˗pointers by Dillard and Mital making the score 42˗41.
Georgia State maintained their four point lead at 47˗43. This was prior to Pierre˗Louis increasing her point total  13 cutting their deficit to two.
Moss  made a three to extend the Panthers’ lead  50˗45. Ciara Rosten’s first field goal brought Massachusetts within 50˗47.
With just over eleven minutes to play, the Panthers’ lead was 52˗49. Jumpers from Dillard and Nolan brought the tally 54˗51. Logan increased her point total to 12 as the lead became five for Georgia State at 56˗51. Fouls by Nichols and Nolan placed Dillard and Pierre˗Louis at the line.
Dillard made one of two foul shots, while PierreË—Louis made both of her free throws bringing the Minutewomen within two at 56Ë—54.
After Cole only made one of two free throws after a foul by Dillard, the score became 57Ë—54.
The scoreboard  read 59˗56 in favor of Georgia State. With under four minutes to play, Dillard nailed a three to tie the game at 59. Logan responded with a layup, allowing the Panthers to retake the lead at 61˗59.
UMass took their first lead of the game via another Dillard three to make the score 62Ë—61. Ponder responded with one of her own to make the score 64Ë—62 in favor of the Panthers.
PierreË—Louis fouled Haley Gerrin with under two minutes to play. Gerrin made one of two free throws for a 65Ë—62 score. That became 67Ë—62 as Logan scored her 15 and 16 point of the game.
Gerrin fouled Timbilla as she converted a jumper into a pair of points, but could not make her ensuing free throw attempt with 49 seconds remaining. With 27 seconds to go, Timbilla was fouled by Nolan as she made a layup. This made the score 67Ë—66, but with a chance to tie the game, she missed the free throw attempt. UMass got the rebound, but then was called for a travel.
The following inbound attempt for the Panthers resulted in a foul by Dillard on Ponder, who made both free throws to make the score 69˗66. The following inbound attempt by the Minutemen resulted in a steal by Nolan, who made both free throws making the score 71˗66, which would be the final score.
The Panthers’ next game will be today at the Sports Arena as they conclude the Holiday & Hoops Classic against LaSalle at 6 p.m.
| Georgia State | UMass |
|---|---|
| Â Nolan: 17 points, 6Ë—10 shooting | Ponder: 17 points, 5Ë—9 three pointers |
| PierreË—Louis: 17 points, 6Ë—13 shooting | Dillard: 15 points, 5Ë—16 shooting |
