Georgia State men’s basketball ends stellar season

Release from Georgia State Athletics:

Underdog Georgia State’s heroic run ended, but it wasn’t without a memorable performance in a 75-67 loss to Xavier. The two teams combined to make 49 of 80 baskets (61.25%), the highest in an NCAA Tournament game in more than 20 years.

The Panthers actually made more field goals (26) than the Musketeers (23), but GSU shot a solid 56.5 percent on 26 of 46, while Xavier was an eye-popping 23 of 34 (67.6%), missing only 11 shots all evening. Xavier hit 7 of 13 clutch 3-point baskets and added 22 of 25 free throws at 88 percent for a decided advantage over GSU’s 9 of 13 free throws. Credit goes to Xavier for putting up those numbers on a defense that held 11 teams under 30 percent in a game this season.

GSU (25-10) was led again by junior guard R. J. Hunter with 20 points and five assists, while Markus Crider added 10 points. Senior guard Ryan Harrow tried valiantly to play in his final college game and made two 3-point baskets in the first half, but was unable to go in the second half. GSU’s defense was still a factor as the Panthers forced 14 turnovers and made eight steals, but the hot-shooting Musketeers overcame those turnovers.

Xavier (23-13) literally was having a career night, from its bench no less. Six-foot-nine Jalen Reynolds came off the bench to have a career-best 21-point game on 8 of 9 field goals and 5 of 5 free throws. Sophomore guard Myles Davis came off the bench to make a career-best 5 of 8 3-point baskets for 17 points. Davis had made only 3 of his previous 17 3-point attempts before this game.

Tonight’s game started in a familiar NCAA fashion for GSU (fall behind in double digits). Xavier raced out to an early 17-6 lead, making 5 of its first 7, including a pair of 3-point baskets just over seven minutes into the game.

Georgia State used a 7-0 run midway thru the half to cut the deficit to 19-17 with 7:49 to play before Xavier immediately responded with a 7-0 run of its owns to go back up by nine with 5:58 to play.

The Panthers fought back with 3-pointers from Harrow and Hunter on back-to-back possessions to cut the deficit to three with 4:40 to play and another 3-pointer by Hunter with 2:21 to play cut the lead to 30-28.

Despite being outrebounded 17-5 in the first half, Georgia State went into the locker room trailing just 32-28, forcing nine Xavier turnovers which led to 10 GSU points.

The second half saw Georgia State come out aggressively. The Panthers quickly tied the game at 34 at 17:56. It was tied again at 36, then yet again at 38 with 15 minutes to play. But, Xavier’s net-scorching shooting put them back up 45-38.

It looked like Xavier might pull away at 54-44 with 8 minutes to go, but Georgia State closed to 54-48 with 7:00 and down to four points at 55-51 with 5:46 and 57-53 with just five minutes to play.

It was a six-point game at 2:55 (61-55) as the TV announcer reminded everyone that that was the time left when GSU went on a 13-0 run to upset No. 3 seed Baylor on Thursday. But, Crider fouled out to join the already hobbled Harrow on the bench.

The 25-win season gives Georgia State back-to-back 25-win seasons and ties the 2001 team as the only ones to win a game in the NCAA Tournament.