Minneapolis, Minn.?Joe Jackubowski hit a long three-pointer as time expired in overtime to give Bowling Green (1-0) a 77-76 victory over Georgia State (0-1) in the first game of the NABC Classic at Williams Arena in Minneapolis, Minn.
With 16 seconds left in overtime, Georgia State's Joe Dukes put back his own missed shot to the Panthers ahead, 76-74. Bowling Green's Brian Moten, who had forced the extra session with a trey with just two seconds left in regulation, missed a three-pointer from the corner, but the Falcons came up with the rebound and got the ball to Jackubowski, who nailed the shot from several feet beyond the arc. He finished with 24 points, including 6-of-8 three-pointers.
Dukes, the transfer from Wake Forest playing his first game for the Panthers, finished with a career-high 20 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists, including Georgia State's last five points. Xavier Hansbro, another transfer from Ole Miss, also contributed a career best in his first game in a Panther uniform with 16 points, and Leonard Mendez added 15.
In a second half that featured nine lead changes and seven ties, Dukes hit a bucket that gave Georgia State a 62-59 lead with a minute to play in regulation, and after Rashad Chase made one of two free throws, the Panthers led 63-59 with 25 seconds left. The Falcons pulled within one on a trey by Darryl Clements with 15 seconds to go. Trae Goldston sank a pair of free throws as Georgia State regained its three-point advantage, but Moten's three-pointer forced the overtime.
Georgia State fell behind 71-66 early in the extra session before Mendez completed a three-point play to knot the score at 71-all with two minutes to go. Moten, who finished with 19 points, hit another three, but Dukes answered for the Panthers with a trey from the top of the key with 1:22 on the clock.
“It was a very tough loss, but I thought our guys fought right to the end. Give credit to Bowling Green for hitting a couple of really big shots,” said Georgia State head coach Rod Barnes. “We've still got a lot of work to do, but I found out some things about our team tonight and I believe we're only going to get better as these guys play together more.”
With 15 points, Mendez moved up two spots into 15th place on Georgia State's career scoring list wit 973 career points as he passed Shernard Long (964) and Anton Reese (968). Senior Rashad Chase grabbed nine rebounds to raise his career total to 529 and move past Rodney Turner (527) and into the eighth position on the Panthers' career chart.
Georgia State continues play in the NABC Classic Saturday against Concordia-St. Paul (7 p.m. ET), followed by a Sunday contest against host Minnesota (7 p.m. ET).
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