ATLANTA -- Freshman Haley Gerrin scored 23 points, including back-to-back three-point lay-up and free throw plays in the final 90 seconds, to give Georgia State a 65-63 victory over Jacksonville State in the opening game of the Georgia State Invitational Friday afternoon at the GSU, Sports Arena.
Georgia State (2-5) advances to Sunday's championshp game against unbeaten No. 22 Georgia, the 80-60 winner over George Washington. Jacksonville State (2-5) will play GW (3-2) in Sunday's consolation at 12:30 p.m.
The back-and-forth game saw 11 ties and eight lead changes.
Gerrin, a 6-2 post player from Clarkesville, Ga., went 8-for-11 from the field and 7-for-9 at the free throw line and also pulled down nine rebounds in just 24 minutes. Her previous high in her first five college games was eight points. Gerrin was called into heavier duty since starting center Brittany Logan was injured and unable to play. GSU also played without starting guard Ashley Watson for a fourth-straight game.
After Georgia State's Alisha Andrews tied the game at 56-all on a driving layup with 1:58 to play, Peyton Hisel made her third straight field goal for JSU to put the Gamecocks ahead 58-56 with 1:35 left.
Then Gerrin gave the Panthers the lead for good with a layup and free throw with 1:23 to play. After a JSU turnover, Gerrin rebounded her own missed shot and sank the layup plus the free throw for a four point lead with 33 seconds left.
Georgia State had to withstand one last run by the Gamecocks. Candace Morton, who finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds, nailed a three-pointer with 17.9 seconds left to cut GSU's lead to one, but Andrews answered with two free throws with 13.2 seconds on the clock.
Morton managed to get off another three-pointer with 6.8 seconds left. She missed the shot but was fouled, putting her at the line with a chance to tie. But she made only two of three, so Georgia State still led 64-63.
After Andrews made one of two free throws for a 65-63 lead, Kelly Naughton missed a final shot at the buzzer for the Gamecocks.
"Gerrin came to play and saved us today," head coach Sharon Baldwin-Tener said. "The last play after the time out we ran for her because we had confidence in her play."
Baldwin-Tener was far from happy, but was thrilled to get a win. "We kept fighting all day and it eventually paid off. A key was making the free throws down the stretch. The effort on defense gave us a chance. A win is a win, so that shows the team that even if the shooting isn't there to keep on scrapping and hustling."
Sophomore Gaby Moss came off the bench to add nine points and six rebounds. The Sun Belt's leading 3-point shooter went 2-for-4 outside the arc today and is 10-for-18 now on the season. Senior Kendra Long added eight points, six assists, three steals and four rebounds despite foul trouble.
GSU shot 19-of-25 from the line (76%), while JSU hit only 17-of-25 (68%) for deciding points.
NOTEBOOK:
- Senior Kendra Long moved into the top 10 in school history in steals with her three in this Friday win. Long now has 167 steals to edge past Kelcey Roegiers-Jensen into 10th place.
- Point guard Alisha Andrews had four assists and four steals today. The junior has 26 assists in the last four games (6.5 avg.) and 17 steals in those four (4.3).
- Gerrin is the third Panther to score 20 or more points this week. Kendra Long scored 23 points in Wednesday's win and Alisha Andrews scored 22 in that same game.
- Gerrin's scoring is no surprise as she scored 1,567 points in what arguably was the best region in the state's largest classification as two teams from that region played for the state championship.
- This was the 29th meeeting in this Southern series and GSU owns a 24-5 lead.
- Leads are not safe in a GSU game, whichever end the Panthers seem to be on. GSU led by 14, 13 and 12 points in three games, and 6 points in another, yet lost.all four. Wednesday, GSU came back from 23 points down. After leading by seven points with 15 minutes to play (40-33), GSU fell behind by six points with 7:40 to play (43-49). So, this marks a second-straight come-from-behind win this week.
- Sunday is the Teddy Bear Toss game when fans are encouraged to bring a new unwrapped Teddy Bear to the Georgia game. At the appropriate time, fans will show off their arm strength and toss the bears from wherever they are sitting onto the court. All the bears will be given to children at The Nicholas House organization.
