Norfolk, VA. - In a game with 13 ties, host ODU made the big plays at the end to erase GSU leads and prevail 58-54 in a CAA game Thursday.
Tied at 54, ODU guard Shadasia Green made her only basket of the second half on a drive down the lane with 21 seconds left and then Danyiell McKeller missed a chance to tie with 10 seconds left as ODU improved to 5-1 in the CAA.
Georgia State (11-6, 2-4) controlled the game and lead for much of the second half. ODU (7-9. 5-1) went from 16:55 to 8:30 before they got the lead back from GSU when Jessica Canady scored. The teams were tied at 52 with 2:25 after a McKeller steal and lay-up and stayed that way after multiple possessions until ODU's Jasmine Parker scored with 52.7 seconds to put ODU ahead.
But with 34.4 seconds left, Georgia State's Angelique Burtts made a steal after missing a chance to tie on a lay-up she missed and made the lay-up after her steal.
ODU came down for what appeared to be a last-possesion chance, but Shadasia Green quickly drove to the basket with 21 seconds left and had a chance for a 3-point play. However, she missed the free throw and it was still 56-54 as GSU had time to set up for a potential game-tying basket or taking the lead with another trey.
The Panthers worked the ball into the paint to McKeller, but her turnaround jumper bounced off the rim. GSU fouled Tia Lewis for a one-and-one free throw opportunity with 6.6 and after three bounces off the rim, the ball went through for a three-point lead. She made the second for the final cushion.
McKeller scored 22 points to lead the offense, while Shay Rawls garnered 11 rebounds. The Panthers hurt their chances for a second straight win over ODU by making just 10-of-18 free throws and shooting just 29 percent in the second half and 33.9 for the game.
ODU got 15 points and 14 rebounds from forward forward Jessica Canady to with 14 points and 11 rebounds from six-foot-three center Tia Lewis.
The teams were tied at the half, 32-32, as GSU came out in the second-half and established a four-point lead at 43-39 with 13:05 to play. The Panthers had multiple three-point leads, but could never pull away after missing shots.
"I felt we kind of controlled the tempo most of the game, but we just didn't get the shots to go in most of the night," Coach Lea Henry said. "CAA road wins are tough to get, especially one at ODU, and if we had made some more free throws or shots at the key times, we could have done that."
"I am proud of the effort the team gave tonight and we were focused and ready to play, but just need a couple more baskets to go in," she added. "The team pulled together and now we get to go home and try to win another one Sunday on our home court."
The Panthers played their first game without starting guard Jylisa Williams, who had been dismissed from the team on Wednesday, and are continuing on without starting center, Chan Harris, who left with a broken bone in her foot in mid-December.
ODU held a 44-37 rebound advantage and scored 32 of their 58 points in the paint. GSU's defense forced 20 turnovers and made nine steals to throw off the Lady Monarchs offense.
NOTEBOOK: McKeller topped the 20-point mark for the 10th time this season and 16th time in her career...Brittany Graham hit 2-of-5 outside the arc to give her 23 of her last 39 outside the arc...Rawls had her 21st career double-figure rebounding game and third in the last seven games...The Panthers led the CAA in field goal percentage (44.1), but could hit just 33.9 tonight...GSU leads the CAA in defense (55.4) and ODU just eclipsed that total this evening.
