WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

·  Georgia State defeated Appalachian State 80-70 to sweep the season series and have a tie-breaker advantage. The teams were tied for seventh before today's game and eight of the 11 Sun Belt teams earn tournament seeds.

·  GSU shot 57.7% for its third game over 50% in the last five and has won four of its last five games with four left to play in the regular season.

· Senior guard Alisha Andrews had her 300^th career steal today to make her the second active NCAA women's player with 1,000 points/500 assists/300 rebounds and 300 steals (All-American Brittany Boyd of Cal).

ATLANTA – Georgia State outlasted Appalachian State in a high-energy, fiercely-fought 80-70 Sun Belt Conference women's basketball game Saturday at the GSU Sports Arena.

After leading for most of the game, Georgia State saw visiting App State go a 12-2 run from 14 minutes to seven minutes and re-capture the lead 62-59 at 7:17. But, determined GSU turned defensive and went on a dominating 19-1 run to make it 78-63 with 1:08 to play.

Both teams were tied for seventh place in the Sun Belt and with only four more games to go, this one could have an impact on being one of the eight teams to qualify. That fact made the intensity more like a tournament game.

• Georgia State has won four of its last five games to improve to 12-13 overall and 7-9 in league play.
• The balanced Panthers got major contributions in a variety of ways. Junior guard Gaby Moss tied her personal-best with a second straight 18-point game, finishing 8 of 11. Senior center Brittany Logan provided the power inside with 18 points (6 of 7) and six rebounds. Freshman forward Kennesha Nichols had a personal-best 16 points to go with six rebounds. Freshman guard Makeba Ponder added 11 more points with two of three 3-point baskets. 
• But, the biggest GSU catalyst must have been 4-foot-11 Alisha Andrews, whom it seemed was everywhere on the court. Andrews came up big on defense with six steals, directed the offense with five assists and scored as needed with nine points. When a big played needed made, Andrews was making it.

Andrews' first steal today was her 300^th career theft that makes her the second active player in NCAA women's basketball to have 1,000 points, 500 assists, 300 rebounds and 300 steals. Only All-American Brittany Boyd of Cal has those kind of numbers.

Georgia State had its third game of the last five shooting better than 50 percent. The Panthers finished 30 of 52 from the field today (57.7%), while adding to that consistency with another 80% effort at the free throw line (16 of 20).

Appalachian State (11-14, 6-10) was topped by all-conference leader Maryah Sydnor with 21 points of 8 of 13 shooting, to go with six rebounds. Mia Marshall added 10 points and five rebounds, but fouled out with 3:55 left.

The teams started trading baskets from the opening tip, with each team making four of their six shots for a 9-9 tie after four minutes. GSU kept going with 7 of 9 made to open a 15-11 led as Gaby Moss had nine of those first 15 points. GSU's 8-0 run built a 19-11 lead at 11:12, but had a cost as Andrews' picked up a second foul and went to the bench.

GSU had three 10-point leads at 26-16, 34-24 and 36-26 at 4:01 of the first half. A couple treys closed that gap and the host Panthers went into halftime up 44-38. GSU shot 18 of 27 (66.7%) in the first half and App State 13 of 29 for 44.8 percent.

In the second half, GSU edged its led back up to nine points at 57=48 with 14:23. But, GSU went cold and made just 3 of 12 shots as App State got hot and went on its run to take the 62-59 lead at 7:17.

Steals and assists by Andrews started GSU's deciding 19-1 run.  Nichols had three straight buckets in that run and Ponder hit a big 3-pointer at 1:51.

• “Our backs were to the wall where we had to start playing our best and we've kind of done that over this run of four wins in five games,” coach Sharon Baldwin-Tener said. “We didn't panic today and just stepped up and made the defense and transition plays we needed to. I think the team made a lot of hustle plays today and those help a team win. We shot the ball well again today and I think the extra work the team has done with just shooting has paid off lately.
• “Alisha (Andrews) was impressive with no turnovers today as much as she handles the ball. She was hustling on defense, leading us on breakaways, and doing on the little things a point guard does when a team wins. Her only negative today was getting the two fouls early and I had to bring her over to sit for a while.
• “Gaby (Moss) is showing what she is capable of on offense and has gotten into the flow of the game and given us another scoring weapon. Kennesha (Nichols) is mature on the court for a freshman. She just makes plays. Brittany (Logan) showed what she is capable of today, too.”

Four games remain for Georgia State, starting with a road trip to UALR Thursday.