MACON — Missing most of its 3-pointers for most of the game, and its coach for some of the game, Georgia State was beaten by Mercer 64-59 on Saturday in the second round of the CollegeInsider.com tournament.
But the Panthers’ senior-dominated squad didn’t lose without making an interesting and sometimes confrontational game exciting.
After coach Ron Hunter was ejected with 11:48 remaining and his team trailing by 10, the Panthers fought back and tied the score at 49 on a 3-pointer by James Fields with 4:53 left.
But the Bears used a three-point play and a 3-pointer, and the Panthers missed three 3-pointers in the final seconds to seal the defeat. Georgia State’s season, Hunter’s first at the school, ends at 22-12, the second-most wins in school history.
“The kids have a ton of heart,” Hunter said. “I knew that they would fight back and have my back. They felt like I protected them, and they had my back.”
Georgia State missed 17 of its 23 3-pointers, which Hunter said was too many for his team to take and expect to win. The Panthers forced 15 turnovers, but turned them into only 13 points because they shot 32.8 percent.
Even before the game started, two of Georgia State’s six seniors had issues: Starter Josh Micheaux was suspended for violating a team rule, and Jihad Ali practiced for the first time after having the flu most of the week. Micheaux started 23 games this season and led the team with 102 assists as a point-forward. He also was a lock-down defender on the perimeter.
The Panthers struggled early, scoring a season-low 18 points in the first half. Hunter said they looked out of sync.
The needed spark came when Hunter received a back-to-back technical fouls, and was ejected, with 11:48 left, for arguing a foul call. It was the first technical Hunter has received this season and he said the seventh of his career.
After Eric Buckner was knocked to the court, Hunter said he asked official Jerry Heater, “What was that?”
Hunter said Heater responded, “Shut the [expletive] up,” which set Hunter off and resulted in his ejection. Heater left before he could be reached for comment.
“I will protect my kids and my team,” Hunter said. “I will call whoever. ... He is a CAA official.
“I give everyone I know respect. I might not have to like you or agree with you. If my program isn’t respected, I will stick up for myself, and I will stick up for my program.”
Hunter said he and Heater also had a disagreement in a game at George Mason earlier this season.
Travis Smith made three of the four free throws from the technical to push Mercer’s lead to 40-27.
But then Georgia State’s shots started dropping, and the Panthers, sticking up for their coach, stepped up on defense to keep the game close.
The Bears used a three-point play and a 3-pointer by Justin Cecil to open up a four-point lead with 2:17 left. They pushed it to five with a free throw by Jakob Gollon with 43 seconds left. A Georgia State cheerleader was ejected by another official arguing the blocking call against Fields that led to the free throw.
But the Panthers weren’t done.
Ali made a long 3-pointer to cut the gap to 61-59 with 35.8 seconds left. Forced to foul, Ali hacked Langston Hall, who made the first free throw but missed the second to keep Georgia State’s margin at three with 27.5 seconds left.
Ali missed a 3-pointer, but chased down the rebound and assistant coach Darryl LaBarrie called timeout with 11.2 seconds left. White missed a 3-pointer off the inbounds pass. Georgia State chased down the offensive rebound, and Brandon McGee missed another shot. Mercer’s Bud Thomas made two free throws for the winning margin.
“The kids built a foundation for us,” Hunter said. “A foundation that’s there and set for Georgia State basketball.”
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