ATLANTA--Georgia State fell in overtime, 65-60, to Old Dominion Wednesday night at the GSU Sports Arena. Kent Bazemore scored 19 points for the Monarchs, including a three-pointer that tied the game at 54-all with two minutes to play, and then another trey that gave ODU (19-11, 13-4) a five-point lead in overtime.
Jihad Ali, one of six GSU seniors, scored 20 points to lead the Panthers (19-10, 10-7 CAA) on Senior Night. His three-pointer pulled Georgia State within one at 61-60 with 38 seconds left in the overtime, but ODU's Nick Wright hit a pair of free throws and Ali missed a long three-point try with 13 seconds left.
This was the Panthers' third overtime defeat in conference play, and six of GSU's seven conference losses have been by five points or fewer.
"Against a good team like Old Dominion, you cannot give up 25 offensive rebounds," commented head coach Ron Hunter after the game. "We turned the ball over 15 times and when you combine those two things, you cannot expect to win.
"I thought our team fought hard all night. We really wanted to win our 20th game at home in front of another great crowd. They gave us a lot of energy and I really appreciate all of the hard work our administration has put in to making this a great home court environment this year."
Ali, who has scored in double figures in nine straight games, finished 8-of-16 from the floor. The senior played in his 121st game and is now just one shy of tying the school record of 122 by Trae Goldston.
Devonta White scored 12 points for the Panthers, and James Fields added 10 points and six rebounds. Eric Buckner contributed seven points, 10 rebounds and six blocked shots.
Buckner recorded his 100th blocked shot of the season during the first half making him one of just six players in Colonial Athletic Association history to accomplish the feat. The senior, who is one of the top candidates for CAA Defensive Player of the Year, has 104 blocks this year and has already set both school single season and career marks.
White's streak of consecutive free throws came to an end at 16 after making his first four of the game. The sophomore's streak is tied for the sixth longest in school history and tops a pair of 13 consecutive made streaks by Ali and Josh Micheaux this season.
Ali scored 15 of his points in the first half of 7-of-9 shooting to help GSU to a 34-31 halftime lead. After ODU tied the game at 34-all early in the second half, the Panthers maintained a modest lead the rest of the way until Bazemore's tying three-pointer at the 2:08 mark. After the teams traded baskets, the Panthers withstood Bazemore's final attempt with five seconds left in regulation to force the extra session.
Old Dominion scored first in the overtime on a bucket by Dimitri Batten, and then Bazemore's trey pushed the Monarchs lead to 61-56 with 1:36 left in the extra session.
Chris Cooper, who came into the game averaging a double-double for the Monarchs, finished with 11 points and 17 rebounds, including seven on the offensive glass.
Old Dominion outrebounded the Panthers 52-39, including 25-9 on the offensive side of the ball.
Dimitri Batten added 13 points and five rebounds off the bench for ODU.
Georgia State will return to the road for its final game of the regular season on Saturday. The Panthers will face William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va. at 2 p.m. before returning home to prepare for next week's CAA Championship in Richmond, Va.
A win against the Tribe would secure the Panthers fourth 20-win season in school history and clinch the sixth seed in next week's CAA Championship in Richmond, Va.
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