ATLANTA (Feb. 24) – In the regular season finale to get ready for the conference tournament next weekend, Georgia State and first-place VCU played it like a tournament game as VCU escaped with a 72-70 win with some last-second heroics.

Georgia State (10-19, 5-12) never trailed in the first half, with its largest lead of 13 points. The Panthers led by six in the second half, 43-37 with 14 minutes left, when VCU began its comeback.

With 10:16 to go, VCU (24-6, 16-2) got the lead at 46-45, but a technical foul on Coach Anthony Grant gave Georgia State two free throws and the lead back at 47-46. It was tied at 49 when VCU got five straight points to open a 54-49 lead and State's leading scorer Lance Perique left the game with a head injury.

Even though VCU, who needed the win to clinch the regular season title and No. 1 seed in the tournament, built a seven-point lead, State wouldn't quit. Back-to-back three-point baskets from Leonard Mendez and a follow by Deven Dickerson brought the score back to 59-57 with 4:54 to go.

With 2:30 to play, the score was tied at 61 after a drive by State point guard Ron Larris and VCU started making plays that were unplanned, but highly successful. First, Georgia State forced a missed lay-up, but the ball bounced to Wil Fameni who followed it home to build a four-point lead. When Mendez answered with a basket, Fameni was again in the right place at the right time after a pass was deflected off several hands and bounced to him in the lane for another lay-up with 47 seconds left.

A Brandon Cartwright basket with 26 seconds closed it back to 68-65 and the Panthers fouled Eric Maynor with 23.9. He missed the one-and-one and State had a chance for a three-point basket to tie. But, VCU fouled Leonard Mendez and he made the one-and-one free throws to narrow it to 68-67 at 9.8 seconds.

With 4.0 left, Michael Anderson made the first free throw and missed the second that could have given State a chance. But, without a player even on the foul lane, VCU's Jesse Pellot-Rosa raced in for the long rebound and drove for a basket and free throw to ice the win.

Georgia State got a career-best 28 points from guard Mendez on 7-11 field goals with 5-of-7 three-point baskets, 9-10 free throws and seven rebounds. Center Deven Dickerson added 14 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks, while Lance Perique netted 13 points in his 25 minutes before leaving with his injury. State was hurt by its 17 turnovers and its missed free throws, just 14-of-23.

VCU was led by 16 points each from guard Eric Maynor and forward Wil Fameni, plus 15 points from hero Pella-Rosa. The Rams hit four-of-seven three point baskets in their second half rally and they held a 32-30 rebound with that last offensive rebound on the missed free throw being the difference of each team having 31.

Georgia State will await tonight's 7 p.m. game with James Madison vs. Hofstra to know its seeding. If Madison loses, State will finish No. 9 and play the No. 8 seed, William & Mary (15-14, 8-10), at noon. If Madison wins, State will finish No. 10 and play the No. 7 seed, Towson (14-16, 8-10) at 6 p.m.