Richmond, Va.--Eric Buckner had 21 points and 11 rebounds as sixth-seeded Georgia State dominated 11th-seeded Hofstra, 85-50, in the first round of the Colonial Athletic Association Championships Friday night at the Richmond (Va.) Coliseum.
GSU (21-10) advances to Saturday's quarterfinals, where the Panthers will face third-seeded George Mason at 8:30 p.m.
The Panthers shot a season-high 59.6 percent from the field en route to the 35-point win, a CAA tournament record for margin of victory.
With 21 victories, this Georgia State team under first-year head coach Ron Hunter has won more games than any Panther team in history except Charles "Lefty" Driesell's 2001 NCAA team that recorded a school-record 29 victories.
Buckner went 7-for-7 from the field and 7-for-8 at the free throw line and also blocked two shots. James Fields scored 14 points, and Devonta White added 13, while Josh Micheaux contributed six points, seven assists and three steals.
"I thought our guys played really hard tonight," commented Hunter after the win. "We talked before the game about being on a mission and showing what we were capable of tonight. I've never had a bunch of kids as hungry, as hungry, as they are. This is what we came here to do."
Buckner upped his school-record blocked shots total to 108, sixth most in a single-season in CAA history.
Redshirt-senior Jihad Ali added nine points and six rebounds, while setting a school record with his 123rd career-game played. He surpassed the school record of 122 games set by Trae Goldston just two seasons ago.
Georgia State used a 26-3 run in the first half to blow open a close game. With the score tied at 13-all eight minutes into the game when an offensive rebound and slam dunk by Buckner ignited the Panthers. Ali followed with a three-pointer, and after a pair of free throws by Moore, GSU scored seven straight to pull ahead 25-15 with six minutes left. Nathaniel Lester scored for Hofstra, and then the Panthers reeled off 14 straight, to move ahead 39-17 with three minutes until the intermission, and the rout was on.
Georgia State dominated in virtually every area, holding Hofstra to just 34.8 percent from the field, including 8-for-28 (28.6 percent) in the second half, and outrebounding the Pride, 35-23. In addition to hitting nearly 60 percent from the field, the Panthers made 20-of-24 (93 percent) at the charity stripe.
Perhaps most importantly, no Panther played more than 29 minutes.
"There have been several times this season where we built big leads but allowed other teams to get back into the game," continued Hunter. "By continuing to build the lead, it was important to rest our guys as this is just one game and we have a lot more to reach our ultimate goal.
CAA leading scorer Mike Moore led Hofstra (10-22) with 16 points.
GSU has won its opening game in five of its seven CAA Championships since joining the league in 2006.
James Vincent added eight points and four rebounds off the bench, while senior Brandon McGee chipped in with six points in eight minutes.
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