WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
* Georgia State lost the last regular season game 82-74 and will begin play in the Sun Belt Conference tournament on Wednesday in New Orleans.
* Four Panthers scored in double figures, including seniors Alisha Andrews (12 points, 8 rebounds, 6 steals) and Brittany Logan (14 points, 7 rebounds).
* The visiting Eagles shot 57 percent outside the 3-point line (12 of 21) and Georgia State started poorly in the first half in making just 9 of 31 shots (29%)
ATLANTA – In the regular-season finale and Senior Day, Georgia State will head to the Sun Belt tournament with a loss as hot-shooting Georgia Southern posted an 82-74 win.
The Panthers will head to the conference tournament Wednesday as the eight-seeded team against top seed UALR at 12:30 p.m. The Eagles will head into the off-season after ending a 15-game losing streak with today's win.
Georgia Southern earned the win by making 12 of 21 3-point shots (57.1%) after shooting 28 percent outside the arc all season. The Eagles hit 51.7 percent overall, making 30 of 58 shots to score 82 points after scoring 39, 35 and 41 points in its past three games. Georgia State had beaten the Eagles 82-54 in Statesboro earlier this season.
Host Georgia State, meanwhile was missing shots and making just nine of 31 in the first half (29%) as Georgia Southern built a 41-25 halftime advantage. Georgia State was down 22 points at 5:36 (73-51) and closed back to nine points at 2:42 (75-66) and on down to seven points at 1:10 (77-70), but it was all too little, too late.
The Panthers did shoot 56 percent in the second half in scoring 49 second-half points and held a 45-31 rebound advantage for the game. Georgia State, second in the Sun Belt with 155 3-point baskets at a 35.5 percent rate, was just 5 of 20 outside the arc (25%).
Georgia State (13-16, 8-12) has five seniors and a pair scored in double figures today. Point guard Alisha Andrews had 12 points, eight assists, six steals and five rebounds, while center Brittany Logan had 14 points and seven rebounds. Georgia State was led by Gaby Moss with 17 points, while freshman Kennesha Nichols gave the Panthers four players in double figures with her 12 points.
Georgia Southern (5-24, 2-18) got 25 points on 10 of 12 shooting (4 of 4 outside the 3-point line) from guard Angel McGowan. McGowan, normally a 24 percent shooter outside the arc and 37.9 shooter overall, hit her 83 percent overall today and 100 percent outside the arc. Patrice Butler, a 6-foot-2 center from Norcross, came off the bench to star today. Butler, who has made 15 3-pointers all season, hit 5 of 7 today (71.4%) and 8 of 12 overall to score 21 points in 24 minutes. Anna Claire Knight added 19 points and nine rebounds.
The visiting Eagles started strong by making 10 of their first 16 shots in building a 24-11 lead nine minutes into game, while Georgia State started by making just 5 of its first 23 shots. Georgia Southern had a 38-16 lead at 3:53.
In the second half, Georgia State closed to 44-31 with 18:15 still left, but Butler's 3-pointers put the visitors back up 55-32 at 14:30.
“We dug ourselves way too big a hole today and you can't come back unless you're playing really good defense, which we weren't today,” coach Sharon Baldwin-Tener said. “They shot the ball much, much better than normal as they were loose with nothing to lose in their final game. Give them credit for knocking down the 3-point shots. It is our fault for not guarding them better. We'll put this behind us quickly, learn from it and get ready to play our best on Wednesday in the conference tournament.”
