1 of 9
Brenden Tucker Brenden Tucker
Brenden Tucker
Photo Credit: Jett Parker
Brenden Tucker Brenden Tucker
Brenden Tucker
Photo Credit: Jett Parker
Dwon Odon Dwon Odon
Dwon Odon
Photo Credit: Jett Parker
Evan Johnson Evan Johnson
Evan Johnson
Photo Credit: Jett Parker
Ja'Heim Hudson Ja'Heim Hudson
Ja'Heim Hudson
Photo Credit: Jett Parker
Evan Johnson Evan Johnson
Evan Johnson
Photo Credit: Jett Parker
Brenden Tucker Brenden Tucker
Brenden Tucker
Photo Credit: Jett Parker
Brenden Tucker Brenden Tucker
Brenden Tucker
Photo Credit: Jett Parker
Brenden Tucker Brenden Tucker
Brenden Tucker
Photo Credit: Jett Parker
83
Mercer Mercer 1-2,0-0 SoCon
85
Winner Georgia St. GSU 2-1,0-0 Sun Belt
Mercer Mercer
1-2,0-0 SoCon
83
Final
85
Georgia St. GSU
2-1,0-0 Sun Belt
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 OT 1 F
Mercer Mercer 40 37 6 83
Georgia St. GSU 43 34 8 85

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Odom's Career-High Leads Overtime Win over Mercer

ATLANTA -- Dwon Odom scored a career-high 21 points, including the tying basket with one second left in regulation, and Georgia State won 85-83 in overtime over Mercer Tuesday at the GSU Convocation Center.

Odom, who scored 16 in the second half, went 11-for-12 from the free throw line and contributed five rebounds. Evan Johnson (15 points), Brenden Tucker (14) and Ja'Heim Hudson (13 points, nine rebounds) also reached double figures for GSU.

"Mercer is one helluva team," Georgia State head coach Jonas Hayes said. "They play very hard, and they are super well-coached. But our guys fought. I think it's a growing-up moment for us to play through this type of adversity and be able to bring it all together to force overtime and come away with a win. It takes a lot of grit to get that done, and I'm very proud of this young group we have."

The Panthers (2-1) trailed 77-73 with less than a minute in regulation when Odom hit two free throws to cut the deficit to two with 46 seconds. He then rebounded Mercer's (1-2) miss with 20 seconds to go, but Odom and then Tucker missed from close range. After Tucker's shot wouldn't fall, there was a scramble as the loose ball went out of bounds, and after a review, Georgia State was awarded possession with 8.6 seconds left. Odom drove the lane and pulled up for a short jumper to tie the game.

"I love this guy," Hayes said when sitting next to Odom in the postgame press conference. "I think this game is indicative of what he is capable of. I don't want to put too much pressure on him, but I think he is the ultimate leader and the ultimate team guy."

Georgia State scored the first four points of the overtime on buckets by Odom and Hudson and never trailed in the extra session but had to hold on at the end when Mercer's Luis Hurtado was fouled as he attempted the tying 3-pointer with less than two seconds left. Hurtado, who scored a game-high 24 points, made the first but missed the second. After he intentionally missed the third, the rebound was tipped out to Mercer's Michael Zanoni, who missed a final shot from the foul line.

The game featured 22 lead changes and 12 ties.

After leading 43-40 at the half, the Panthers opened up a 57-50 lead with 12 minutes to play, but Mercer responded with a 21-6 run to take a 71-63 lead with six minutes left.

From there, Georgia State scored eight straight on two buckets by Hudson and two free throws each from Odom and Tucker to tie the score at 71-all with three minutes left. Hurtado's driving layup gave the Bears a 77-73 lead with 51 seconds to go before the Panthers made their final rally to force overtime. 

"Credit to Mercer. It was a hard fought game, and they're a great team, but one thing Coach preaches to us every day is know how to fight," Odom said. "When we got down with four or five minutes left in the second half, we fought. Moving forward, we know we have to improve, but Coach always says, however you get it, a win is a win."

Georgia State continues its homestand by hosting the four-team, three-day Capitol Classic Friday through Sunday at the GSU Convocation Center, beginning Friday against Eastern Kentucky at 6 p.m.


 
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