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ATLANTA-Georgia State fell to Colonial Athletic Association leader Old Dominion, 75-62, Tuesday at the GSU Sports Arena. Senior Joe Dukes scored 22 points for the Panthers in his final home game, but four players reached double figures for the Monarchs, led by Keyon Carter and Kent Bazemore with 14 points each.
Georgia State fell to 12-18 overall, 5-12 in the CAA. ODU improved to 22-8 overall, 12-3 in the CAA, moving one half-game ahead in the conference standings, with 11-3 Northeastern playing Wednesday.
On Senior Night for six Panther seniors, Dukes went 8-for-13 from the field, including 3-for-3 from three-point range, and also contributed five rebounds, four assists and two steals. Senior Trey Hampton added 17 points and seven rebounds in his final home game.
Dukes' third trey of the game gave the Panthers a 49-46 lead with 10 minutes to play, but ODU answered with eight straight points, aided by two GSU turnovers, to pull ahead 56-49 with seven minutes to go.
Hampton scored for Georgia State to cut the deficit to five, and he was fouled on the play but missed his free throw. Dukes grabbed the rebound for GSU, but Kevin Lott missed from close range. From there, ODU again scored eight straight to seize control with a 64-51 lead.
"We hit a stretch where shot the ball well to get the lead, but then we turned the ball over two straight possessions and missed a couple of easy shots, and Old Dominion took advantage," said GSU head coach Rod Barnes.
"They're a very good basketball team, and they shot the ball extremely well tonight. They're solid at every position and they can hurt you a number of ways, so they're tough to defend."
The Panthers managed to pull within five as James Fields completed a three-point play that made the scored 67-62 with 53 seconds left, but ODU sank free throws down the stretch.
"This is not the result you want on Senior Night, but our kids gave a great effort. I reminded them that we have another game to play and then our conference tournament," said Barnes.
"I'm very proud of this group of seniors. They've grown a lot in their lives, and they've done everything we've asked them to do as far as helping us build a foundation for this program. All six of them will be earning their degrees. As a coach who has a passion for working with young people, I'm very proud of them, and I feel very blessed."
The Monarchs shot 54 percent for the game, including 60 percent in the first half, but went into the locker room with just a one-point lead at 35-34.
Masharee Neely scored 13 points in ODU's balanced attack, and Gerald Lee added 12 and Darius James scored nine.
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