ATLANTA-Trae Goldston scored 19 points and Xavier Hansbro added 15 points and nine rebounds to lead Georgia State to a 64-54 victory over Jacksonville Monday at the GSU Sports Arena.
Goldston scored all 19 of his points in the first half, and in the second half, it was Hansbro who came up big for the Panthers (4-4) with 13 points in the final 12 minutes. The 6-10 senior, made five of his six shots and grabbed five rebounds in a second half in which the Panthers shot 60 percent from the field.
With the score tied at 38-all with under 12 minutes to play, Ousman Krubally completed a three-point play to give Georgia State the lead for good. James Fields added a layup and then a jumper by Hansbro put the Panthers ahead 45-39 with 8:39 to play.
The Dolphins (0-4) cut their deficit to two, but Hansbro answered with basket for a 47-43 GSU lead with seven minutes left. Jacksonville managed to get within three points three more times over the next three minutes, but each time Hansbro scored. He made a layup and a short jumper, and then his free throws with 4:12 to go put GSU ahead 53-48, and the Dolphins could get no closer.
Georgia State held Jacksonville, the preseason favorite to win the Atlantic Sun Conference, to just 30 percent shooting from the field, three days after the Dolphins scored 93 points in a four-point loss at South Carolina. The Dolphins' Ben Smith entered the game averaging 19 points a game, but GSU limited him to seven points on 3-for-16 shooting.
Meanwhile Georgia State shot 50 percent from the field for the second straight game.
"Our guys did a great job defensively," said GSU head coach Rod Barnes. "Trae Goldston shot the ball really well in the first half, and then in second half, Xavier Hansbro came up with some really big baskets and big rebounds. I think his play down the stretch was the difference in the game."
The Panthers led by as many as 14 points in the first half and took a 30-21 advantage into the intermission as Goldston went 4-for-5 from beyond the arc.
Joe Dukes contributed 11 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals for the Panthers, who pulled out the victory despite being outbounded, 40-34, and allowing 20 offensive rebounds. Hansbro also blocked shots.
Ayron Hardy led Jacksonville with 11 points and nine rebounds.
Georgia State opens Colonial Athletic Association play Saturday at James Madison in a 2 p.m. contest that will be televised on CSS.
