BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Georgia State committed a season-high 28 turnovers in falling to Western Kentucky 80-59 on Wednesday afternoon in front of 2,692, including more than 2,000 elementary school students.
The visiting Panthers shot just 30% in the first half and 35% for the game to compound the 28 turnovers as the host Hilltoppers shot 50% in improving to 10-4.
WKU shot well early to turn a 17-14 lead at 9:50 into a 30-17 lead by 5:50 in the first half. It was 41-30 at halftime.
WKU roared out in the second half with a 7-0 run and 15-4 burst to make it 56-34 at 15:37 and the only thing left to decide was the final score. To start the second half, host Western Kentucky made 13 of its first 14 shots from the field, including 3-for-3 outside the arc.
GSU's bench actually played 126 minutes and the five starters just 74 minutes with foul trouble, injuries and ineffectiveness. WKU got 74 minutes from its bench today as well as the reserves of both teams played a lot of minutes. All told, 13 players scored for GSU today, some logging their most minutes of the season.
Georgia State (5-10, 1-2) got 15 points from senior guard Kendra Long. She saw her 19-consecutive free throws made streak end in the second half with a miss. Alisha Andrews added nine points and four assists in 22 minutes with four fouls. Kayla Nolan contributed a team best eight rebounds with Brittany Logan adding six boards.
Western Kentucky (10-4, 2-1) was led by 18 points and six rebounds from Chastity Gooch. Four other Hilltoppers were in double figures with Micah Jones next with 14 points.
"We didn't fight like I would have liked today among other things I didn't like," head coach Sharon Baldwin-Tener said. "Goodness, we have to take better care of the basketball. The game was really simple, they made shots early and we didn't get the ball in the basket. When a team makes 13 of 14 shots on you to start a half, that spells trouble. Right now, it is more about us and what we are capable of than the opponent. I'm not happy with what I saw today."
Georgia State did hold a 44-30 rebound advantage with 18 offensive rebounds. The Panther defense really wasn't effective today, but the team did end up with 11 steals and 16 turnovers forced.
The Panthers go back on the road for the 11th time in 16 games this season, playing at Arkansas State on Jan. 14.
