Collin Moore
Daniel Wilson
79
Winner Southern Miss. USM 21-4,10-2 Sun Belt
71
Georgia St. GSU 10-14,3-9 Sun Belt
Winner
Southern Miss. USM
21-4,10-2 Sun Belt
79
Final
71
Georgia St. GSU
10-14,3-9 Sun Belt
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Southern Miss. USM 30 49 79
Georgia St. GSU 34 37 71

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Comeback Comes Up Short as Panthers Fall to Sun Belt Leader Southern Miss

ATLANTA -- All five Georgia State starters scored in double figures, but the Panthers' late comeback came up short in a 79-71 loss to Sun Belt Conference leader Southern Miss Saturday at the GSU Convocation Center.

Georgia State (10-14, 3-10 Sun Belt) fell behind by 10 with nine minutes to play but clawed back and pulled within two points 67-65 on pair of free throws by Ja'Heim Hudson with 3:19 left. After the teams traded baskets to make it 69-67, GSU rebounded a Southern Miss (21-4, 10-2) missed shot for a chance to tie the game with just under two minutes left. But two shots from close range would not fall, and the Panthers could get no closer. The Golden Eagles then went 8-for-10 from the free throw line to seal the win.

"Again, we do not believe in moral victories. Being close to the No. 1 team in our league is nowhere near good enough, and we have got to find ways to have just a tad bit more poise down the stretch to finish these teams off," head coach Jonas Hayes said.

"I believe in this group, and we should not lose sight of the process."

Brenden Tucker led the Panthers with 17 points, followed by Jamaine Mann with 16 points--his fourth straight game in double figures--along with 10 rebounds and four assists. Collin Moore scored 15 with five rebounds and four assists, Hudson had 11 points and eight rebounds, and Dwon Odom contributed 12 points and seven assists.

The Panthers had one of their best days from beyond the arc, hitting 10-of-18 3-pointers as Mann, Tucker and Moore hit three apiece.

Tucker scored all 17 of his points in the first half to give the Panthers a 34-30 lead at the intermission. After a bucket by Hudson, Georgia State led 44-41 with 16 minutes left, but the Eagles then scored 14 straight points to take a 55-44 lead with 12:42 to play before Moore broke the drought with a trey.

"I think we weathered that storm. We were able to regroup and find ourselves, but just came up on the short end," Hayes said.

The undersized Panthers had a tough time handling 6-9, 245-pound Felipe Haase, who scored 26 points for Southern Miss as he went 8-for-11 from the field, including three 3-pointers, and 7-for-7 at the free throw line.

"Southern Miss is a helluva team. They really brought it tonight, and we couldn't do anything with Felipe Haase. That guy can score from anywhere on the court," Hayes said. 

Georgia State continues its next Thursday, hosting Old Dominion at the GSU Convocation Center. For tickets, visit GeorgiaStateSports.com or call 404-413-4020 during business hours.

 
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