Women's Basketball 1/3/2010 3:00:00 PM Charlie Taylor/Sports Communications

Panthers Open CAA Play with 63-53 Win

ATLANTA (Jan. 3) – Georgia State earned a 63-53 opening day CAA win over UNC Wilmington in women's basketball action on Sunday afternoon at the GSU Sports Arena.

The Panthers (10-2, 1-0) stormed back from a five-point halftime deficit in a game that included eight lead changes and five ties.

Visiting UNC Wilmington (5-7, 0-1) got the lead after four ties at 18-16 with 6:02 in the first half and took a 31-26 margin into the halftime break. The Seahawks had their largest lead at 38-30 with 13:21 to play and had a 40-34 advantage at 11:18. Georgia State then got five straight points from Crystal Johnson, followed by a basket from Danyiell McKeller to gain the lead again at 41-40 with 9:54 to go.

For the next five minutes, the teams battled to a 48-48 tie with just 5:46 left. However, the host Panthers had a determined 11-0 run sparked by six points from Angelique Burtts, a trey from Brittany Graham and another basket by McKeller to make it 59-48 with 1:48 to go. The Panthers finished the second half with a 42-27 scoring advantage and shot 54.8% in that half on 17-of-31.

Georgia State got 20 points from McKeller, her season average and eighth time of 20 or more this year, to go with seven rebounds and four steals. Sophomore point guard Crystal Johnson was as star of the game with her 13 points, her career-tying best 11 assists and six steals. Junior Angelique Burtts scored 14 of her 16 points in the second half, while senior Brittany Graham added 11 more points with three treys to give the Panthers four players in double figures.

UNC Wilmington's forwards Martha White and Brittany Blacked netted 16 and 15 points, respectively, to lead the Seahawks.

“Being down at the half, we just kind of told the team to get a little more fired up and challenged everyone else to help McKeller with the scoring,” Coach Lea Henry said about career win No. 298. “We defended much better in the second half and went with more zone and a soft press instead of our usual full-court style. Crystal Johnson set the tone today, but the whole team showed their toughness and determination to find a way to win.”

Crystal Johnson on radio about her game. “Coach just told us we weren't playing our usual game at the halftime break and challenged us to execute better. I know my role is to be a team leader and create plays, whether passing or scoring. If I saw an opening in the lane today, I just tried to take it in there.”

The Panthers' 10-2 start is the second best in school history, behind only the inaugural year of 1975-76's 11-2 run to open the season. Georgia State, who rank in the top 20 in the nation in steals again with an average of 12 per game, added 17 steals to that total today. Georgia State's defense of 51.8 per game lead the CAA and they allowed just one basket over that today (53).

Georgia State goes on the road Thursday to face its third Top 25 foe of the year in CAA rival James Madison.

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Players Mentioned

#2 Angelique Burtts: F; 6' 0"; Junior

#10 Brittany Graham: G; 5' 9"; Senior

#23 Crystal Johnson: G; 5' 8"; Sophomore

#42 Danyiell McKeller: F; 5' 11"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#2 Angelique Burtts
: 6' 0"; Junior
: F

#10 Brittany Graham
: 5' 9"; Senior
: G

#23 Crystal Johnson
: 5' 8"; Sophomore
: G

#42 Danyiell McKeller
: 5' 11"; Senior
: F