Georgia State struggled to score 24 first half points but thanks to D’Marcus Simonds and Devin Mitchell, the Panthers found their rhythm in the second half to score 43 points and coast for an 67-51 victory over Texas State. The win snapped a three-game losing streak and moved Panthers (17-10) into third place in the Sun Belt Conference.
5 things we learned Monday night:
The offense comes alive
The Panthers, who struggled offensively during their three-game losing streak, got their mojo back in the second half when they shot 69 percent and scored 43 points. They placed three players in double figures and finished the night shooting over 50 percent for the night.
Simonds player of the game
After the Panthers struggled early, Simonds hit the second half on attack mode. He scored 13 of his 18 points in the second period and was the catalyst that started the surge. Other players were able to get open and hit their shots, like Jeremy Hollowell who scored 14 in the second half.
The bench does it again
Reserves scored 25 points while Texas State’s bench only had seven. Mitchell was the star, scoring 14 points and hitting three 3-pointers. Jeff Thomas also played well with nine points and four rebounds.
Defense continues to dominate
The Panthers allowed an opponent to shoot better than 40 percent for the first time since Louisiana Lafayette on Feb. 5. Although Texas State shot 42 percent, the Panthers limited the visitors to less than 30 points in both halves. They also forced 10 turnovers with six blocks and four steals.
Panthers fix turnover issues
Over the previous three games, the Panthers gave up big turnovers late in the game to blow leads. This game, the Panthers did not make the same mistake, allowing only 10 turnovers leading to just 10 points.
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