PENSACOLA, FL --Jelani Hamilton and Zarique Nutter combined to score 47 total points, 61.8 percent of Georgia State's points, but the Panthers fell to the Marshall Thundering Herd 79-76 at Pensacola Bay Center Friday evening.

"It was a fun game to be a part of," head coach Jonas Hayes said. " I thought we we matched up well against them and I want to give our guys some credit for making plays and and getting stops when they needed them. I thought we we we played with a level of effort and urgency that would allow us to be in most games as we were in this one."

The Panthers (14-19) had three players score in double figures, led by Hamilton, who had 28 points, six rebounds and two steals. Nutter added 19 points and three blocks off the bench and Cesare Edwards chipped in as well with 15 points and nine rebounds.

Georgia State's defense held Marshall to only 35.6 percent shooting from the field.
 

It is that level that consistently needs to be in place to give you a chance to win every night, and I think closer to the end of the year we became the team I thought we were we were capable of of becoming. I want to commend these guys for showing up every single day, not giving in, not giving out when it was practically easy to do so."

How It Happened

After falling behind 14-9, Georgia State went on an 8-0 run with 13:01 left in the first half, culminating in a bucket from Edwards, to take a 17-14 lead. The Panthers then added two points to that lead by the end of the period and entered halftime with a 39-34 advantage. Georgia State capitalized on six Marshall turnovers in the period, turning them into 11 points on the other end of the floor.

Georgia State kept its lead intact before going on a 5-0 run, finished off by Hamilton's layup, to grow the lead to 49-41 with 16:15 to go in the contest. Marshall then asserted control, outscoring the Panthers 38-27 the rest of the way to hand Georgia State the 79-76 loss. Georgia State got a boost from its bench in the period, as non-starters accounted for 14 of its 37 total points.
 

Game Notes

» The Panthers shot well from three point range, knocking down six of 15 long range attempts.
» The Panthers held the Thundering Herd to only 35.6 percent shooting from the field.
» Jelani Hamilton, Zarique Nutter, and Cesare Edwards combined to account for 82 percent of the Panthers points.
» The Panthers were active in affecting shots on the defensive end, tallying six blocks as a team.
» Jelani Hamilton led the Panthers with a game-high 28 points.
» Georgia State got a team-high nine rebounds from Cesare Edwards.