The streak is over.
Troy snapped Georgia State’s 14-game winning streak with a 85-81 victory on Saturday at Trojan Arena.
Looking most of the night like a team that hadn’t played in more than a week after the storm postponed Thursday’s game, the Panthers were undone by foul trouble to three starters that seemed to disrupt their rhythm on offense and defense. Georgia State (17-7, 10-1) remains on top of the Sun Belt Conference with Texas State coming to the GSU Sports Arena on Monday to make up the postponed game.
They also uncharacteristically missed free throws. One of the best teams in Division I from the free-throw line (77.8 percent), the Panthers missed four of seven free throws during a critical four-minute stretch late in the game.
R.J. Hunter led Georgia State with 26 points. He became the second-fastest player in school history to reach 1,000 points on a jumper with 16:40 left, hitting the mark in his 55th game.
Troy (9-15, 4-8) benefitted from great shooting and aggressiveness. Jeff Mullahey led the Trojans with 27 points and Tevin Calhoun added 20 more. Troy hit 12 of its 27 3-pointers. The Trojans usually grabbed what either team missed, outrebounding Georgia State by seven and turning some of those into 19 second-chance points.
Though coach Ron Hunter said the team had a good practice, they looked off early.
Curtis Washington picked up three personal fouls in the game’s first nine minutes, 2 seconds.
He wasn’t the only Georgia State player who looked out-of sorts. Devonta White picked up two personal fouls less than five minutes into the first half, forcing Ron Hunter to go to his bench as the Trojans opened up a seven-point halftime lead.
The problems continued in the second half.
Washington picked up his fourth foul less than three minutes into the second half trying to block a dunk by Calhoun, who had already gone by him.
R.J. Hunter started to heat up, scoring 11 of his team’s first 15 points in the second half to cut Troy’s lead to 50-47.
But Manny Atkins, who carried Georgia State with 16 points in the first half, picked up two quick fouls to reach four with 14:56 left in the game.
Atkins fouled out, putting one of Ron Hunter’s scoring options on the bench with 6:32 left and the Panthers trailing by nine.
The Panthers kept fighting and tied the game on an offensive rebound and putback by Markus Crider with 2:41 left.
Troy answered with three quick points.
Washington hit one of two free throws to cut Georgia State’s gap to two with 1:46 left.
Mullahey answered with a layup before R.J. Hunter hit one of two free throws with 35.8 seconds left and the Panthers trailing by three.
Troy iced the game with free throws.
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