Towson, Md.? C.C. Williams' layup with 3.5 seconds left gave Towson a 58-57 victory over Georgia State Wednesday at the Towson Center, sending the Panthers to their sixth straight loss, all by a total of just 21 points.
Trailing 57-56, Towson (7-11, 3-5 CAA) got the ball after a Georgia State (4-14, 1-7 CAA) turnover with a minute left. The Tigers missed three shots but came up with offensive rebounds each time, the last one by Williams, who grabbed Junior Hairston's miss and put it in to give Towson its only lead of the second half.
The Panthers, who got 21 points from Leonard Mendez, led 55-47 with under four minutes to play but suffered their fourth loss by two points or fewer in the last six games.
“This was a great opportunity for us to get a win on the road, but we just didn't get it done,” said Georgia State head coach Rod Barnes. “We were one stop, one rebound away. We got a blocked shot (by Deven Dickerson) in that sequence, but we've just got to go get that rebound.
“It's very disappointing because our kids are fighting and this was a game where we had a lot of opportunities.”
State built a 41-33 advantage at halftime and maintained its lead for most of the second half despite shooting just 5-for-25 from the field after the intermission, after connecting on 55 percent (16-for29) in the first half.
The Panthers went up 55-47 as Trae Goldston made one of two free throws with 4:53 to play. Hairston completed a three-point play with 3:47 left to pull the Tigers within five, and after Mendez missed a three-pointer, Rocky Coleman's bucket for Towson made the score 55-52.
D.J. Jones answered for State with a short jumper in the lane, but Tony Durant made a jumper that again brought Towson within three. After State's Rashad Chase missed from close range on the other end, Coleman got the rebound and fed Williams for a layup and a 57-56 ballgame with 1:40 to play.
Josh Thornton led Towson with 18 points, while Hairston finished with 10 points and seven rebounds, and Williams added 12 points and nine assists.
Mendez hit five three-pointers for State. Chase had a game-high 13 rebounds along with eight points, and Goldston added eight points.
Georgia State plays a second straight road game this week, traveling to Delaware Saturday for a 4 p.m. contest that will regionally televised on Comcast Sports, including CSS in Atlanta. The Panthers next home game is Jan. 30 versus Delaware at 7:30 p.m. at the Georgia State Sports Arena.
