Panthers Fall at Arkansas State 90-87

Box Score JONESBORO, Ark.-Arkansas State used a late 8-0 run to earn a come-from-behind 90-87 win over Georgia State on Monday night at First National Bank Arena.

Senior Damon Wilson just missed a double-double with 19 points and eight rebounds for Georgia State (10-6, 3-2 Sun Belt) which dropped its second-straight game on the road.

Arkansas State (11-6, 3-2 Sun Belt) snapped a two-game losing streak and three-game losing streak to the Panthers as Melo Eggleston recorded a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

Georgia State led 84-80 with 1:40 to play before Arkansas State responded with an 8-0 run to take an 88-84 lead with 10 seconds to play. After Justin Roberts knocked down a 3-pointer for the Panthers, GSU couldn't foul in time as the Red Wolves got a dunk on the other end with less than a second remaining.

The game was decided at the free throw line as Arkansas State went 34-42, while Georgia State was just 14-of-17. The Panthers were called for 29 fouls as compared to just 15 for the Red Wolves.

Arkansas State took an early 26-18 lead in part due to going 21-of-23 from the free throw line in the first half as the Panthers were called for 14 fouls before the break.

However, Georgia State settled down and in part to three-straight 3-pointers from Nelson Phillips and back-to-back free throws by Kane Williams the Panthers tied the game at 26 with just over nine minutes to play in the first half.

Tied at 35, Georgia State used a 9-0 run while holding the Red Wolves scoreless for more than three minutes to build a 44-35 lead with 2:38 to play.

Georgia State went into the locker room leading 52-41 after shooting 60.6 percent from the floor, including 5-of-9 from 3-point range.

The Panthers pushed the lead to as many as 13 points with 17:52 to play before the Red Wolves started to mount a comeback and following a 6-0 run tied the game 68-68 with 10:40 to play. Arkansas State opened the half making 10 of its first 13 shots.

With just over five minutes to play, Wilson knocked down 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions to give the Panthers an 80-72 lead with 5:27 remaining as the Red Wolves were held without a field goal for more than five minutes.

Unfortunately, Arkansas State continued to chip away at the lead before the final run in the last few minutes.

Phillips finished with 16 points for the Panthers while Kavonte Ivery tied a career-high with 13. Justin Roberts filled up the box score once again with nine points, seven assists, and five rebounds.

J.J. Matthews led Arkansas State with 18 points while Caleb Fields, Marquis Eaton, and Jerry Johnson each scored 11.

Georgia State finished the game shooting 51.6 percent from the floor and 9-of-23 from 3-point range.

Notes:

Georgia State still leads the all-time series with Arkansas State 10-4.
The Panthers are now 4-3 all-time in Jonesboro, Ark.
With a 3-pointer tonight, Georgia State has made at least one 3-pointer in 764 games dating back to Feb. 18, 1995.
Since the start of the 2013-14 season, the Panthers have won 144 games, the most of any NCAA Division 1 program in the state of Georgia.

Georgia State will return home to face Louisiana on Thursday night at 7 p.m. in the GSU Sports Arena. Tickets can be purchased by visiting GeorgiaStateSports.com/Tix or by calling 404-413-4020 during normal business hours.

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Players Mentioned

#0 Kavonte Ivery: F; 6' 6"; Sophomore

#10 Nelson Phillips: G; 6' 4"; Sophomore

#2 Justin Roberts: G; 5' 11"; Redshirt Sophomore

#12 Kane Williams: G; 6' 3"; Junior

#1 Damon Wilson: G; 6' 5"; Redshirt Senior

Players Mentioned

#0 Kavonte Ivery
: 6' 6"; Sophomore
: F

#10 Nelson Phillips
: 6' 4"; Sophomore
: G

#2 Justin Roberts
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Sophomore
: G

#12 Kane Williams
: 6' 3"; Junior
: G

#1 Damon Wilson
: 6' 5"; Redshirt Senior
: G