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Kane Williams

Photo Credit: Jett Parker

Kane Williams

Photo Credit: Jett Parker

Justin Roberts

Photo Credit: Jett Parker

Eliel Nsoseme

Photo Credit: Jett Parker

Corey Allen

Photo Credit: Jett Parker

Justin Roberts

Photo Credit: Jett Parker

Justin Roberts

Photo Credit: Jett Parker

Men's Basketball 2/3/2022 10:05:00 PM

Panthers Fall to Troy 67-63

Box Score ATLANTA-Georgia State could not overcome a cold night shooting and fell to Troy 67-63 on Thursday night at the GSU Sports Arena.

Georgia State (8-10, 2-5 Sun Belt) forced Troy (15-7, 6-3 Sun Belt) into 22 turnovers, but shot just 33.3 percent from the floor, 6-of-22 from 3-point range and made just 15-of-27 free throws.

Senior Justin Roberts led the Panthers with 17 points going 4-of-7 from 3-point range, while fellow senior Kane Williams added 15 points. Eliel Nsoseme just missed another double-double with seven points and 13 rebounds, his fifth-straight game with double figure rebounds.

Troy was led by Efe Odigie's double-double of 17 points and 11 rebounds, while TK Smith and Kieffer Punter came off the bench to score 12 points a piece. The Trojans shot just 26.1 percent in the second half and 1-of-8 from 3-point range but outrebounded the Panthers 45-36 while shooting 28-of-36 from the free throw line.

Back-to-back 3-pointers by Roberts gave the Panthers an early 7-4 lead. Neither team built bigger than a three-point lead over the first 16 minutes before the Trojans start to pull away using a 9-2 run including a 3-pointer by Punter to give Troy a 30-21 lead with 1:16 to play.

Troy went into the locker room with a 34-26 lead as Allen hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer for the Panthers to close the deficit. Troy held Georgia State to just 30.0 percent shooting, overcoming 12 first half turnovers that led to 14 GSU points.

Georgia State held Troy without a field goal for nearly four minutes of the second half and following a Jalen Thomas lay-up cut the Trojans lead to 40-38 with 15:17 to play.

A Nelson Phillips steal and fast break dunk with 12:04 to play tied the game 43-43. The two teams would be tied at both 47 and 49 before Troy took a four-point lead.

After Roberts knocked down a 3-pointer to cut the lead to one, Allen made 1-of-2 free throws to tie the game after going to the line when Troy's Rifen Miguel was ejected following a Flagrant 2 foul on Jalen Thomas. Following the inbound, Allen hit a jumper to give Georgia State a 56-54 lead with 5:19 to play.

However, Troy scored the next five points to go back ahead 59-56 with 4:29 to play, and the closest the Panthers could get would be one point two more times.

Freshman Ja'Heim Hudson added eight points for the Panthers, while Nelson Phillips came off the bench to fill up the box score with seven points, five rebounds, and three steals.

Game Notes
• Despite the loss, Georgia State still leads the all-time series with Troy 22-20, including a 14-6 mark in Atlanta.
• Senior Kane Williams made his 100^th career start on Thursday, now just five shy of Rodney Hamilton's school record of 105.
• Georgia State has a 37-25 (.587) record in the month of February since the start of the 2013-14 season.

Georgia State will remain home to host South Alabama on Saturday at 2 p.m. The game will air live on ESPN+ and can be heard on the GSU Mobile App.

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Players Mentioned

Eliel Nsoseme: F; 6' 9"; Junior

#10 Nelson Phillips: G; 6' 4"; Sophomore

#2 Justin Roberts: G; 5' 11"; Redshirt Sophomore

#25 Jalen Thomas: F; 6' 10"; Freshman

#12 Kane Williams: G; 6' 3"; Junior

#15 Ja'Heim Hudson: F; 6' 7"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Eliel Nsoseme
: 6' 9"; Junior
: F

#10 Nelson Phillips
: 6' 4"; Sophomore
: G

#2 Justin Roberts
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Sophomore
: G

#25 Jalen Thomas
: 6' 10"; Freshman
: F

#12 Kane Williams
: 6' 3"; Junior
: G

#15 Ja'Heim Hudson
: 6' 7"; Freshman
: F