LAFAYETTE, LA -- Leslie Nkereuwem scored a season-high 15 points and Toneari Lane scored 16 as Georgia State rallied for a 78-69 win at Louisiana. The Panthers snapped the Ragin' Cajuns seven-game winning streak as well as their own six-game losing streak.
"An unbelievable team effort," head coach Jonas Hayes said. "We weathered the storm early, and then to play as good of a second half against a team that good is a huge step forward. Our defense made huge strides, especially in the second half."
Georgia State (10-13, 5-7) trailed 39-30 at the intermission before outscoring the Ragin' Cajuns 48-30 in the second half. The Panthers shot 50 percent from the field in the second half while holding Louisiana to just 32 percent.
Edward Nmamoko contributed nine points, six rebounds and two blocks in perhaps his best game in a GSU uniform.
"I want to make sure I talk about the game that Big Ed had tonight. I do not think we win this game without him," Hayes said of the sophomore post player, who was a game-time decision due to an ankle injury. "He was a physical presence that gave our team a shot in the arm tonight."
Georgia State trailed the entire game until Lucas Taylor's 3-pointer tied the scored at 59-all with eight minutes left. The Panthers got a defensive stop, and then Lane nailed another trey to give GSU its first lead at 62-59 with 7:41 to play. That capped a 10-0 run for the Panthers and marked the first time that Louisiana (15-9, 8-4) had trailed in a game in the second half since Jan. 10. Georgia State, which fell behind by 14 points in the first half and still had an 11-point deficit at 46-35 with 16:31 left, never trailed again.
GAME NOTES
» Georgia State rallied from a nine-point 39-30 halftime deficit to pick up the win.
» The Panthers held the Ragin' Cajuns to only 37.3 percent shooting from the field, including just 32 percent in the second half.
» Toneari Lane led the Panthers with 16 points.
» Leslie Nkereuwem went 6-for-8 from the field en route to a season-high 15 points.
» Georgia State got a team-high eight rebounds from Jay'Den Turner.
» Dwon Odom contributed nine points, six rebounds, and two blocked shots.
» The Panthers committed just six turnovers in the game.
