Norfolk, Va.-Redshirt-junior Manny Atkins scored 21 points
and freshman R.J. Hunter finished with 20 to lead Georgia State to a 69-54 win
at the Ted Constant Center on Saturday night.
Atkins has scored 20 or more points in three straight games,
while Hunter scored 20 or more for the seventh time this season.
With legendary former head coach Charles “Lefty” Driesell
in the building, the Panthers won for the first time at the Ted Constant Center
and for just the second time at Old Dominion dating back to the 1977-78 season.
Devonta White added 15 points and tied a career-high with
seven assists for Georgia State (8-11, 3-3 CAA). Senior James Vincent tied a
career-high with 12 rebounds and blocked four shots, while also collecting
three steals.
With his four blocked shots, Vincent tied Torquin Gresham
(1997-2000) for fourth most in GSU history. In his two career games in Norfolk,
Vincent set career-highs in blocks both times, collecting 11 two years ago.
The loss dropped Old Dominion to 2-16, 0-6 in the CAA.
“I
am really proud of my team,” commented head coach Ron Hunter after the win. “I
have 10 freshman or sophomores on my team. A win like this shows that we are
really starting to mature and come together as a team.
“We
have played in some of the toughest places in the country this year and I
probably over-scheduled a little early. Over the last month, this group has
gotten better and better and better. Tonight, that effort paid off.”
R.J.
Hunter's three-pointer at the half gave Georgia State a four-point lead, 29-25,
going into the locker room as the Monarchs never led.
Hunter
shot 6-of-12 from the floor and made 6-of-7 from the free throw line, grabbing
four rebounds and two of the Panthers six steals. The Panthers forced the
Monarchs into 17 turnovers.
After
building a nine-point lead at 42-33 with 16:44 to play, the Monarchs trailed
just 57-51 with 5:11 to play. The Panthers finished the game on a 12-3 run.
Atkins
finished the game 6-of-12 from the floor and 4-of-6 from three-point range. The
redshirt-junior entered the day leading the CAA in three-point shooting,
hitting 40.3 from beyond the arc.
Georgia
State held the Monarchs nearly 11 minutes in the first half with just one field
goal, however, ODU shot 18 free throws in the opening period, as compared to
just eight for the Panthers. The trend reversed in the second half as GSU went
to the line 14 times, making 12, and ODU shot just five.
Vincent played in his 105th game on Saturday, moving into
a tie for 11th with Terrence Brandon, Travis Williams and Chavelo
Holmes.
Atkins made the Panthers first two free throws of the game,
extending the Panthers steak to 18 straight made shots dating back to last
Wednesday's game against William & Mary before a miss by White in the
middle of the first half.
Dimitri Batten led Old Dominion with 14 points off the bench,
while Donte Hill scored 13 and pulled down seven rebounds.
Georgia
State will bus from Norfolk to Baltimore on Sunday to prepare to face Towson on
Monday night at 7 p.m. The Panthers will return home to face UNCW on Wednesday, Jan. 23 at
7 p.m.
www.GeorgiaStateSports.com
