NASHVILLE, Tenn.- Despite 27 points from Ryan Harrow and 21 points from R.J. Hunter, Vanderbilt earned an 86-80 win at Memorial Gym on Tuesday night. The Panthers led by one with less than four minutes to play and were tied with the Commodores with two minutes to play.
The game marked Harrow's return to the SEC following two seasons at Kentucky, including last season where he served as the Wildcats starting point guard. He finished the game 10-of-21 from the floor, playing a team-high 38 minutes and dishing out four assists.
Playing in front of more than 8,000 fans, the two teams combined for 10 ties and 16 lead changes in a highly-competitive game. The six-point lead tied the largest of the game as the lead see-sawed back and forth.
Georgia State dropped to 1-1, while Vanderbilt won its season opener to improve to 1-0.
Redshirt-junior Curtis Washington just missed a double-double with 13 points and nine rebounds, adding four blocked shots following Saturday's opener when he tied the school-record with nine.
“Our guys came in hungry and played a great game,” head coach Ron Hunter said. “I knew that if we stuck to our game plan, we would have a chance all the way to the end of the game.
“I think Vanderbilt is probably the best team on our schedule and we went head-to-head with them. One break here or there and the result could have been different.”
Trailing 66-60 midway through the second half, Georgia State used an 8-0 run to take a 68-66 lead with 6:01 to play.
The two teams were tied 73-73 with 2:18 to play before a Damian Jones jumper gave the Commodores a two-point lead that would not be relinquished.
Jones pushed the lead to six with a dunk with 24 seconds to play before the Panthers mounted one last rally.
Hunter made a lay-up with 18 seconds left to cut it to four and then a pair of free throws by Devonta White cut the lead to just two with 10 seconds to play. Vanderbilt made four free throws in the final 10 seconds to close out the win.
White finished the game scoring 11 points, grabbed five rebounds and dished out five assists. His 3-pointer one-minute into the game tied him with Travis Williams for 15th on Georgia State's all-time scoring list before pushing ahead of the mark in the second half.
Georgia State came out hot from 3-point range in the first few minutes of the game. Harrow's 3-pointer with 15:53 to play in the first half gave Georgia State an early 12-7 lead, the Panthers biggest of the game. Vanderbilt never led by more than six.
After Vanderbilt took a 20-16 lead, Harrow made a pair of free throws, followed by a steal and lay-up on the next possession to tie the game at 20.
Before Washington's free throw miss with 45 seconds remaining in the first half, GSU starters had made 24-straight from the line this regular season.
Georgia State was looking for its first win over an SEC team since 2003, however, the Panthers had not played a Southeastern Conference opponent since 2005.
Jones and Rod Odom led Vanderbilt with 19 points each, while Eric McClellan added 18.
The Panthers outrebounded the Commodores 34-30, however shot just 6-of-22 from 3-point range, while Vanderbilt made 10-of-21.
Georgia State will return to the court on Monday night facing McNeese State in the opening game of the 16-team NIT Season Tip-off. The Panthers will meet the Cowboys in Tuscaloosa, Ala. as a part of a four-team regional including Alabama and Stillman College.
