Daytona Beach, Fla.-Georgia State fell in overtime to IUPUI, 67-56, in the third game of the Glenn Wilkes Classic Sunday at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Fla. Joe Dukes led the Panthers (2-3) with 14 points, six rebounds, five assists and five steals.
Dukes tied the game at 50-all with a free throw with 1:32 left in regulation. The Panthers had three potential winning shots in the final minute, but could not get one to go down, including a three-point attempt at the buzzer by Trae Goldston.
Dukes gave the Panthers an early lead in overtime with a steal, layup and free throw, but IUPUI (4-1) answered with a three-point play of its own by Alex Young, who led the Jaguars with 22 points. IUPUI took control from there, going 9-for-9 from the free throw line to seal the win.
"It's a disappointing loss because we had opportunities at the end of regulation but we couldn't capitalize. Trae got a good look at the end, and I thought he might have been fouled, but that's the way it goes," said Georgia State head coach Rod Barnes.
"It's so important to get off to a good start in overtime, which we did when Joe came up with the steal, but we gave it right back to them on a defensive breakdown and from there, we let it get away."
In a back-and-forth game, neither team led by more than six points in regulation. The Panthers took their first lead of the second half on a three-pointer by Kevin Lott with 6:37 to play that put GSU ahead 40-39, but IUPUI answered with a trey by John Ashworth. A three-point play by Young extended the Jaguars lead to 45-40.
After layups by Dukes and Ousman Krubally, Goldston nailed a trey for a 47-45 GSU lead with 3:24 left. Billy Pettiford hit one of two free throws for IUPUI, and then Young put the Jaguars ahead, 48-47, with a steal and layup.
Krubally scored for the Panthers, but Ashworth answered for IUPUI, which led 50-49 when Dukes went to the free throw with 1:32 to play. He made the first to tie the score and missed the second, but Trey Hampton managed to tip the rebound to Lott. Dukes missed a pair of three-pointers, but the Panthers rebounded each time. IUPUI had two fouls to give to run down the clock to three seconds. GSU inbounded, and Goldston got off a shot that was off the mark, forcing the extra session.
Krubally had his third double-double of the season for the Panthers with 11 points and 13 rebounds.
Both teams shot just under 40 percent from the field, and Georgia State outrebounded the Jaguars, 36-31, but the Panthers were hurt by 22 turnovers. IUPUI also made it to the free throw line 29 times to 13 for GSU.
"It was a fast paced game, but obviously 22 turnovers is way too many," said Barnes. "Give credit to IUPUI. They're a very good team,and they played hard. Our kids played hard, too, but we've got to execute better.
"It was good to see Joe Dukes really try to assert himself," continued Barnes."He got off to a slow start the first few games, but now he looks more like the Joe Dukes we saw last season."
Georgia State, in the middle of five straight games away from home, now heads to the South Alabama Thanksgiving Tournament in Mobile, Ala. The Panthers face Utah Valley Wednesday and then either South Alabama or Alcorn State Thursday.
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