In its Sun Belt Conference opener, Arkansas State men’s basketball team closed the gap on an 11-point halftime deficit with seconds to play, but ultimately dropped a tough 91-90 decision to Georgia State on Saturday inside the GSU Convocation Center.
The Red Wolves (4-9, 0-1 SBC) outscored the Panthers (6-6, 1-0) by 10 in the second half, powered by 15 second-half points by Caleb Fields and a 53.6-percent clip from the field.
Fields (20 points) was one of four double-digit scorers for A-State, paced by Avery Felts’ career-high 21 points on 6-of-9 from 3-point range. His six treys are the most by a Red Wolf since Marquis Eaton hit six on Feb. 8, 2020, at Little Rock. Dyondre Dominguez added 14 points while Julian Lual scored 11 off the bench.
As a team, the Red Wolves shot 48.3 percent (28-58) in the contest, while hitting 11-of-28 from 3-point range (39.3%) – the seventh time this season A-State converted 10 or more from the perimeter.
GSU won the rebounding battle, 40-31, while edging A-State 38-34 in paint scoring. The Panthers shot 47.8 percent (32-67) from the field and went 23-of-28 (82.1 percent) at the foul line. Dwon Odom led all players with 24 points and was one of five Panthers to score in double figures, including Jay’Den Turner, who notched a double-double with 13 points and 12 boards.
Both teams shot well early, with A-State leading 11-8 following a Felts trey – one of his three in the first half. Georgia State then scored eight unanswered to take a 16-11 lead before a series of ties and lead changes. The hosts then moved back ahead by six following a Toneari Lane triple before Derrian Ford put the Scarlet and Black ahead by one with seven straight points.
Georgia State ended the half on a 14-2 run, including nine unanswered over the final 1:44 to own a 50-39 lead at intermission.
The Panthers expanded their lead out to as much as 16 early in the second half before A-State rallied back to within 11 with under 15 remaining. GSU then surged to its largest lead of the day when a 7-0 run made it 65-47 with 13:52 to play.
A-State clawed back to within eight on back-to-back threes by Lual, capping a 12-2 run that made it 71-63 with 9:49 left. Felts later capped an 8-0 run with a trey before Georgia State pushed its lead back out to seven on a pair of free throws by Turner.
Momentum see-sawed its way back to the Red Wolves, who cut it to 88-86 on a layup by Izaiyah Nelson, and then tied it at 89 with 12 ticks left on the clock. Odom converted a pair of late foul shots before what would have been a game-tying free throw by Fields rimmed out.
NEXT UP
Arkansas State returns home Thursday, Jan. 4, to host Georgia Southern (1-12, 1-0) with tip-off against the Eagles slated for 7 p.m.
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