NACOGDOCHES, Texas -- Georgia State led for the first 39 minutes of the game, but in the final minute saw host Stephen F. Austin rally to claim a 66-60 win after getting its first lead of the game with 48 seconds left. This was the final game of the preseason Women's National Invitational Tournament.
Georgia State was whistled for 36 fouls as host SFA shot 38 free throws. Two Panthers fouled out. Host SFA had just 21 fouls called and GSU shot just 20 free throws.
Kayla Nolan scored a personal-best 25 points and added seven rebounds to lead GSU (0-3). Nolan hit 9-of-16 field goal attempts and 6-of-8 free throws, while adding a team-best three steals. Kendra Long added 11 points, but shot just 5-of-17.
Porsha Roberts led Stephen F. Austin (2-1) with 23 points and seven rebounds, with Daylyn Harris adding 13 points.
Georgia State was up by 12 points at 55-43 with 7:01 left in the game, when SFA began a comeback. GSU was leading 60-52 with 3:31 to go, but would not score again. The host Lady Lumberjacks cashed in and finally gained its first lead of the game at 61-60 on a follow-up of her own miss by Roberts with 48 seconds left.
Visiting GSU jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first four-plus minutes and built a 12-point lead at 23-11 with 4:29 to go in the first half. An unusual three possessions on one trip down the floor netted SFA five points as it cut the advantage from 24-16 to 24-21. A field goal, an off-ball foul resulted in two free throws and a foul on the offensive rebound of the missed free throw netted two more free throws. Georgia State led at the half 26-23.
“I can only be proud of the team and the players' effort today,” coach Sharon Baldwin-Tener said after the game. “After the tough loss yesterday, the team came out ready to play and it is too bad we didn't get the win to reward the effort. If you foul 3,000 times, like I guess we did, because it seems like that was how many were called, you hurt your chances to win. We can play a lot better, but the effort and attitude were there. We obviously didn't finish off what we started and that hurts, but the team played with fire today and if they do that every game, we'll be alright.”
Georgia State returns to Atlanta for the home opener on Tuesday night against 3-0 UCF in a 6 p.m. contest in the GSU Sports Arena.
