MONROE, La. - Georgia State sped to its fourth straight win, topping Louisiana at Monroe 77-66 on Saturday afternoon in a Sun Belt Conference game.
The visiting Panthers started strong in building a 45-29 halftime lead and never let the lead get out of double digits the rest of the way. Georgia State (9-10, 5-2 Sun Belt) was led by senior guard Kendra Long with 21 points, including three 3-point baskets. Junior center Brittany Logan had another double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Sophomore guard Gaby Moss came off the bench to add 15 more points with a pair of treys.
Georgia State built its first double-digit lead just eight minutes into the game at 22-12 at 12:09. ULM got it back to nine points, 36-27, at 5:49, but then GSU closed with a 9-2 spurt to gain a 45-29 halftime advantage. GSU shot 51.4 percent in the first half and dominated the boards, 26-15 in the opening stanza.
In the second half, Georgia State had the lead up to 18 points twice, the last at 62-44 at the nine-minute mark left to play. It was 75-59 with 1:50 as the reserves let the lead slip a bit, but held on for the road win.
ULM ((7-12, 3-4) got 18 points and 10 rebounds from Ashleigh Simmons to go with 11 points from Sharnice Brooks.
Georgia State was whistled for 28 fouls today, with just 13 called on the home Warhawks.
"A conference road win is always a good feeling," head coach Sharon Baldwin-Tener said. "We shared the ball well, shot the ball well, rebounded the ball well and played good defense in the first half, but we were way too nonchalant in the second half."
"ULM is a good basketball team and I am proud to come to Louisiana and win two games on this trip," Baldwin-Tener added. "We will keep trying to get better and we are getting more contributions from more people. But, the conference season is still young."
Georgia State finished with a 49-41 rebound advantage with 17 offensive rebounds. The Panthers had five blocked shots and held ULM to 27.9 percent shooting for the game (19-of-58).
GSU, the Sun Belt's top free throw shooting team at 70.4 percent, upped that by making 15-of-19 free throws (78.9 percent).Long leads at 83.9 percent (52 of 62).
Georgia State returns to Atlanta to play host to South Alabama on Wenesday night at 7 p.m. in the GSU Sports Arena.
NOTEBOOK:
- The 4-game win streak equals last year's 4-game win streak, but those were non-conference games. The school record streak is 17 wins in a row, with three streaks of 10-straight wins.
- GSU has played 13 of its first 19 games on the road. At home, GSU is 4-2 this year.
- The double-double for Brittany Logan was her second straight on this Louisiana trip. She had 16 points and 15 rebounds Thursday at UL-Lafayette and her 12 points and 11 rebounds today. It was her third double-double of the year.
- The 21-point game by Kendra Long was her fifth of 20 or more points this year and ninth of 20 or more in her career.
- Moss' 15 point-game was one shy of her two games with 16 points this year.
- The 77 points scored was the seventh game of the season with 75 or more points.
- Alisha Andrews, the Sun Belt leader in assists (4.8) had six more in today's win.
- While 12 different players have started this year, today's starting five had not started together before today (Andrews, Long, Cole, Gerrin and Logan.
- All 14 players participated today and 11 players scored and 11 had a rebound
- The "bench" scored 53 points in Thursday's win and 30 points in today's win.
