ATLANTA-Senior Ryan Harrow scored his 1,000th point in a Georgia State uniform and finished with a team-high 21 to lead the Panthers to a 74-43 win over Arkansas State on Saturday afternoon at the GSU Sports Arena. Junior Markus Crider picked up his third double-double of the season as four Panthers finished in double figures.
Harrow became the 19th Panther to reach the 1,000-point plateau and did so in just 54 games, the second quickest in program history. He also became just the fifth Panther to accomplish the feat in two seasons.
Georgia State (15-7, 8-3 Sun Belt) won its fourth-straight game and for the sixth time in its last seven games. The Panthers are 37-10 in the last 47 games dating back to last season and have also won 25 of their first 29 conference games since returning to the Sun Belt. The squad is off to the third-best start in school history.
Arkansas State (9-12, 4-8 Sun Belt) were held to just 20.4 percent shooting, going 10-of-49 from the floor. It marked the Red Wolves fifth-straight loss to the Panthers over the last two seasons.
Crider finished with 14 points, a career-high 11 rebounds and dished out five assists. It was his third double-double in conference play as he went 7-of-8 from the floor. Crider entered playing leading the Sun Belt in field goal percentage.
Senior Curtis Washington came off the bench to score 12 points and pulled down five rebounds, going 6-of-6 from the free throw. Junior R.J. Hunter added 11 points, also going 6-of-6 from the line.
“I thought our guys did a nice job and handled themselves well today,” head coach Ron Hunter said. “It was a good win and one we needed. With only nine games left, we know we have to take care of business at home if we want to have a chance to reach our goals. My team is starting to play its best basketball, especially on the defensive end.”
Georgia State held the Red Wolves scoreless the first seven minutes of the game to build a 10-0 lead before a 3-pointer by Cameron Golden. Golden finished with nine points for Arkansas State.
The Panthers held the Red Wolves without a 2-point field goal for the first 11:30 of the game, giving up just a pair of 3s.
Harrow reached 1,000 points at Georgia State with a dunk with 5:55 to play in the first half as the Panthers had built a 23-9 lead. He reached the mark in just 54 games, the second-quickest in program history and became the fifth Panther to accomplish the feat in just two seasons.
Georgia State went into the locker room leading 34-18 and pushed the lead to as many as 33 with 7:18 to play in the second half.
The Panthers outscored the Red Wolves 46-10 in the paint and 22-2 on fast break points.
Kevin Ware added six points and five assists off the bench for Georgia State.
Arkansas State was led by 10 points and six rebounds from Anthony Livingston, while Sean Gardner added nine.
The 31-point win was the Panthers largest in a Sun Belt game this year.
Georgia State will begin a stretch of three-straight games on the road Thursday in Statesboro, Ga., squaring off against first-place Georgia Southern.
