The streak is over.
Troy snapped Georgia State’s 14-game win streak with an 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 a winter 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 atop the Sun Belt Conference, with Texas State coming to the GSU Sports Arena on Monday to make up the postponed game.
“I thought Troy played the best game they’ve played all year,” coach Ron Hunter said. “I told our team you’ve got to be able to take everyone’s best shot. We’ve got to be able to do that.”
Things that GSU did well during the streak didn’t work against the Trojans. The Panthers forced Troy into only nine turnovers, including two in the second half. The Panthers had forced 14.5 turnovers per game.
The Panthers also uncharacteristically missed free throws. One of the better 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. They made 18 of 26 (69.2 percent) in the game.
R.J. Hunter led GSU with 26 points. He reached 1,000 career points on a jumper with 16:40 left. He achieved the mark in his 55th game, the second-fewest games needed to reach 1,000 in school history.
Troy (9-15, 4-8) benefited from great shooting and aggressiveness. Jeff Mullahey led the Trojans with 27 points, and Tevin Calhoun added 20. Troy made 12 of its 27 3-pointers. The Trojans usually grabbed what either team missed, outrebounding GSU by seven and turning some of those into 19 second-chance points.
“We didn’t play well tonight, especially on the defensive end,” Hunter said. “I thought we were one step behind on everything. We just weren’t sharp.”
Troy coach Phil Cunningham said he changed his strategy after GSU defeated his team 81-72 in January. On Saturday, they tried to spread GSU’s defense out and attack off the dribble, and the tactic worked.
Curtis Washington picked up three personal fouls in the game’s first 9 minutes, 2 seconds.
He wasn’t the only GSU player who looked out of sorts. Devonta White picked up two personal fouls less than five minutes into the first half, forcing Hunter to go to his bench as the Trojans opened a seven-point halftime lead.
Washington picked up his fourth foul less than three minutes into the second half as he tried to block a dunk by Calhoun, who already had gone by him.
R.J. Hunter kept GSU in the game, scoring 11 of his team’s first 15 points in the second half to cut Troy’s lead to 50-47 with 15:19 left
But Manny Atkins, who carried GSU with 16 points in the first half, 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 score on an offensive rebound and putback by Markus Crider with 2:41 left.
Troy answered with three quick points to lead 78-75 with 2:00 left.
Washington made one of two free throws to cut GSU’s gap to two with 1:46 left. He wasn’t the only Panther who struggled at the line. White missed two of three free throws on separate trips. Hunter missed one of two with 35.8 seconds left and the Trojans leading by three.
Troy, on the other hand, iced the game with free throws.
“We weren’t going to go undefeated,” Ron Hunter said. “If we were going to get beat, I wanted to get beat on the road. They made shots. They made the right plays. Maybe now some of this pressure is off and we can concentrate on winning the championship.”
