Josh Micheaux scored 14 points and Georgia State held UNC Wilmington to under 30 percent shooting in a 58-52 victory in the first round of the Colonial Athletic Association tournament on Friday in Richmond.
Eric Buckner added 12 points for the ninth-seeded Panthers (12-18), who never trailed in the second half.
They were guided by assistant coach Paul Graham because Rod Barnes was fired at the end of the regular season with his team riding a four-game losing streak.
The Seahawks (13-18) got 19 points from Chad Tomko, but he made just 7 of 21 shots.
UNC Wilmington as a team hit just 18 of 61 (29.5 percent) and missed 10 of 20 free throws.
Georgia State led 28-26 at halftime. The score was tied twice in the second half, but Devonta White broke the second deadlock with a 3-pointer and the lead grew to as many as seven.
The Panthers led the Seahawks in rebounding, 42-38. Micheaux, Buckner and Marques Johnson each had two blocked shots.
Clark Atlanta 75, Benedict 52: No. 4 seed Clark Atlanta upset top seeded Benedict 75-52 to advance to the finals of the SIAC men's basketball championship for the second consecutive year.
Clark Atlanta will seek its first conference title since 1965 today against the winner of No. 7 Stillman College and No. 3 Tuskegee.
