What You Need to Know:
* Redshirt-junior recorded his first career double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds, but Georgia State fell to South Alabama 79-78 in overtime on Thursday night.
* Kevin Ware added 15 points for the Panthers and send the game into overtime with a free throw with 11 seconds to play.
* Georgia State will return to the court on Saturday at Troy at 5:15 p.m. ET.
MOBILE, Ala.-Despite a double-double from Jeremy Hollowell, Georgia State fell to South Alabama 79-78 in overtime Thursday night at the Mitchell Center. The Panthers got off multiple shots in the final six seconds, but could not get one to fall for the win.
Hollowell finished with 22 points and a career-high 11 rebounds, shooting 10-of-17 from the floor. Kevin Ware added 15 points and a career-high seven assists and appeared to be fouled just before the buzzer sounded in overtime but to no avail.
Georgia State (13-9, 6-7 Sun Belt) lost for the fifth time in six games and saw its six-game winning streak against the Jaguars come to an end.
South Alabama (10-14, 5-8 Sun Belt) was led by Ken Williams who scored 27 points and grabbed six rebounds. Nick Stover added 14 points, making 8-of-10 from the free throw line.
Trailing 66-65 with 11 seconds to play, Ware made 1-of-2 free throws to send the game into overtime. Neither team made a field goal in the final 4:48, but each made four free throws during that stretch.
In overtime, the Panthers made 3-pointers on three-straight possessions, but Williams answered for the Jaguars with 15.4 seconds to play to give South Alabama a 79-78 lead which was enough to hold on.
“This is a tough loss,” head coach Ron Hunter said. “Our guys fought hard and made some big shots, but we could not get the last one to fall down in the final seconds. Where we struggled was at the free throw line and that proved to be the difference.”
Georgia State finished just 12-of-19 from the line, while South Alabama shot 28-of-36.
Georgia State took an early 12-9 lead after knocking down five-straight shots before South Alabama responded with a 6-0 run to take a 15-12 lead with 14:18 to play in the first half.
The two teams exchanged leads nine times in the first half with eight ties as the Panthers went into the locker room leading 40-38. Neither team led by more than four points in the first 20 minutes.
Hollowell finished the opening half with 12 points and six rebounds, while Ware knocked down all three 3-point attempts.
The Panthers opened the second half scoring the first two baskets to go up by six points. Using a 7-0 run midway thru the second half, Georgia State took a 55-45 lead on a Thomas jumper with 11:24 to play.
South Alabama immediately responded with a 10-0 run of its own to tie the game 55-55 before Ware hit his fourth 3-pointer of the game.
With a pair of free throws with 6:51 to play, Williams gave the Jaguars their first lead of the second half, but Shipes immediately responded to tie the game for the Panthers.
The game ended with 19 ties and 22 lead changes.
Senior Markus Crider finished with seven points and five rebounds to move into Georgia State's top 10 in career rebounds with 509.
Senior T.J. Shipes added 12 points and seven rebounds, while redshirt-sophomore Isaiah Williams added 12 points, including a pair of 3-pointers in overtime.
Georgi Boyanov finished with 11 points and eight rebounds for South Alabama.
Georgia State will close its two-game road trip to Alabama on Saturday facing Troy at 5:15 p.m. ET.
