Atkins’ 3, Crider’s muscle power Georgia State to victory

Georgia State (20-7, 13-1) needs to win one of its four remaining games, or have Western Kentucky lose one, to secure a piece of its first conference title since 2001-02 when it was in the Atlantic Sun.

There could still be drama. The Panthers will host the Hilltoppers in the regular-season finale on March 8 at the Sports Arena.

Georgia State improved to 12-0 at home in front of 2,890 fans, the 12th-largest crowd in Sports Arena history. Ryan Harrow led Georgia State with 18 points and seven assists, none bigger than his pass to Atkins for the game-winning shot.

Georgia State seemed to have everything in hand with a nine-point lead and 1:45 remaining.

Louisiana-Lafayette’s (18-10, 9-6) Steven Wronkoski hit a 3-pointer to cut the Panthers’ lead to six with 1:39 left. Kevin Brown stole the ball from Harrow and Elfrid Payton hit a layup to cut the gap to four with 53 seconds left.

Payton grabbed a missed layup by R.J. Hunter and completed a three-point play to cut Georgia State’s lead to one with 37 seconds left.

Devonta White uncharacteristically turned the ball over on the inbounds, forcing Atkins to foul Payton with 30 seconds left.

Payton hit the first but missed the second, leaving the game tied at 77.

After a timeout, Georgia State worked the ball to Atkins in the corner, who drilled the 3-pointer.

Atkins, who finished with 12 points, said it was the best look he had all game.

“The rim opened up so much, I was like, ‘I’ve got to make it,’ ” said Atkins, who led the team with seven rebounds.

Ron Hunter said the play was the same as the one he called in the final seconds of the loss to Florida International earlier this year. Back then, Hunter said Harrow tried to force a shot instead of passing to one of his teammates.

This time, Harrow trusted his teammates and found the wide-open Atkins.

“It shows how much we’ve grown because he trusted his teammate,” Hunter said. “An incredible play because it was an unselfish play.”

Though things ended well they didn’t start well for the Panthers, who trailed by eight at halftime. Hunter said he thought the intensity of the game, which increased after Louisiana-Lafayette coach Bob Marlin complained about several things after Georgia State defeated his team 77-70 in their previous meeting, affected his team.

“We were charged up, almost overcharged,” Hunter said. “I’ve got to do a better job calming them down.”

But Georgia State used a 21-o run in the second half to take a 53-41 lead with 13:19 left.

The rally started right where Ron Hunter needed it to: with his son R.J. Hunter.

Held to three points in the first half, R.J. Hunter scored five quick points and Curtis Washington added an offensive rebound and putback to cut Georgia State’s lead to four just a few minutes into the second half.

Shawn Long, who scored 15 points the first half for the Cajuns, was whistled for a flagrant foul after officials determined that he threw an elbow at Washington with 17:19 left. Long picked up his fourth foul less than a minute later trying to block a shot by Atkins, who hit both free throws to cut Georgia State’s gap to 41-39.

The Panthers tied it a few seconds later on a dunk by Crider with 16:06 left. Crider put back a miss by Harrow to give the Panthers their first lead, and then did it again to extend the lead to 45-41. His work in the free-throw lane on offense and defense sparked the team, who to that point was getting pushed around on both ends. After getting outrebounded by 11 in the first half, Crider led everyone with six rebounds in the second half as the Panthers outrebounded the Cajuns by six.

“I had so much fun helping my teammates,” Crider said.

Hunter followed with back-to-back 3-pointers, Atkins added a dunk off an assist by Harrow and the Panthers led 53-41.

“We’re one win away from doing something really special in our first year,” Ron Hunter said.