Richmond, Va. (Jan. 27) - VCU's women's basketball team shot 52 percent, including 55 percent outside the arc, to turn back Georgia State, 67-52, Thursday afternoon at The Siegel Center.

VCU, who features the nation's #1 rebounder and #3 scorer in Courtney Hurt, found a new leader today as junior college transfer guard Andrea Barbour scored a career-high 23 points on 7-of-11 field goals. Hurt, who averages 23.9 points and 13.2 rebounds, added "below-average" 18 points and nine rebounds today. The Rams (11-7, 6-2), who were 9th in the CAA in three-point baskets, made 5-of-9 outside the arc today.

Georgia State (7-12, 2-6) was led by junior center Chan Harris with 19 points and seven rebounds. Angelique Burtts added 11 points and five rebounds, while sophomore Cody Paulk led the team with eight rebounds to go with her six points.

The host Rams jumped out early with a 10-0 run to turn a 5-3 deficit into a 13-5 lead six minutes into the game. They took a 14-7 lead to a 26-10 advantage with eight minutes to play in the opening half. VCU held a 37-22 halftime lead.

The second half was a 30-30 tie, but the first half was too much for GSU to ever overcome. The Panthers were down 12 points six times in the second half, the last with 5:20 to play at 56-44, but never got closer.

"They shot the ball well today outside and inside and we didn't," said Coach Sharon Baldwin-Tener. "We missed too many free throws and too many make-able baskets. We got in the big hole early and just couldn't get out of it."

The game at VCU was the first of three straight road tests for the Panthers, who play at CAA leader Old Dominion Sunday at 2 p.m.