ATLANTA – Three Panthers scored in double-figures as Georgia State fell 73-70 to Old Dominion in a thrilling shootout at the GSU Convocation Center on Saturday afternoon.

Mikyla Tolivert led Georgia State (8-13, 2-6 Sun Belt) with 24 points on 5-of-10 shooting with four assists and was a perfect 12-for-12 at the free throw line.  It is the second straight game that she has scored 20 or more points after scoring a career-high 26 against Coastal Carolina on Thursday night.  Her 12 free throws also topped her previous career-high of 10 set on Thursday against the Chanticleers.

Deasia Merrill added 16 points with seven rebounds, and Nyla Jean equaled her season-high 13 points on a career-high four three-pointers, including a half-court shot to beat the buzzer at halftime.

It was a tale of two halves for Georgia State's offense as the Panthers shot an incredible 14-of-20 (70 percent) and 6-of-7 (85.7 percent) from three in the first half but cooled off and shot just 7-of-25 (28 percent) in the second and just 1-of-12 in the fourth quarter.

GSU jumped out to a 14-5 lead in the opening period and led 22-18 after the first quarter.  Old Dominion (13-8, 5-3) briefly led 27-26 in the second when the Panthers went on a 9-0 run to go up 35-27.  The Monarchs then pulled within two with 1:58 left before Mya Byrd hit a three-pointer with 1:17 remaining.  Then after a jumper by ODU, Alex Gitchenko made a free throw with 33 seconds left to put the Panthers back up by four before Nyla Jean nailed her half-court buzzer-beater to send Georgia State into the locker room with a 42-35 lead.

Jean then picked up where she left off in the third and hit her career-best fourth three-pointer to GSU increase GSU's lead to 45-35. 

The Panthers led by nine with 6:35 remaining in the third when Old Dominion heated up, hitting six straight shots to take a 57-54 lead.

GSU kept it close despite their late shooting woes.  Down 64-60 in the fourth, the Panthers capitalized on two personal fouls and a technical foul against ODU to make five free throws and take a one point lead with 5:41 left.  But the Monarchs promptly responded with an 8-0 run to take a 72-65 lead with 2:43 remaining.

Not done yet, the Panthers rallied again as Zay Dyer hit a layup off a Mikyla Tolivert miss with 2:18 remaining, Deasia Merrill made two free throws and Nyla Jean made one to cut the deficit to two with 33 seconds left.

Then after a made free throw by ODU, GSU had a chance to tie it up, but Merrill missed a three pointer with seven seconds left and Mya Byrd couldn't get the putback to fall.

Georgia State will face Appalachian State at the GSU Convocation Center on Thursday, January 26 at 6:30 p.m.