In the final seconds of a tense game, Georgia State point guard Isaiah Williams made the go-ahead free throws to defeat Middle Tennessee 64-62 on Tuesday night at GSU Sports Arena.
The host Panthers (7-2) battled back and forth with the Blue Raiders (7-3) all game. Throughout the game, the score was tied nine times and the lead was exchanged 12 times.
The first half was nearly even between the teams. The Blue Raiders shot the ball better, but foul trouble kept the Panthers in the game.
The Panthers were 8-for-11 from the free-throw line in the first half. Six of Williams’ eight first half points came from the free-throw line.
The free throws and the 11 points off of turnovers alleviated the 14.3 percent three-point shooting in the first half.
At the end of the first half, Middle Tennessee led 31-29.
Coach Ron Hunter was pleased with his teams’ defense against a tough opponent.
“I’m really impressed with how our kids played,” Hunter said. “They shot 46 percent in the first half, and then we just came out and shut them down. 30 percent in the second half and 38 (percent) for the game.”
In the second half, the lead changed only twice.
Kevin Ware led the Panthers in scoring with 18 points, after only scoring four in the first half. He took over the second half and finished the game 8-of-11 from the field.
However, the Panthers had trouble keeping the Blue Raiders at bay. Middle Tennessee forwards Darnell Harris and Reggie Upshaw Jr., each scored 18 points and were the key players keeping the Blue Raiders in the game.
Each time the Panthers went up by three points, the Blue Raiders answered.
Middle Tennessee trailed 62-57 with 48.5 seconds remaining. Blue Raiders guard Perrin Buford was fouled on a drive to the lane and made two big free throws to cut the lead to 62-59.
Middle Tennessee stopped the Panthers on their next possession, and forward Darnell Harris missed a 3-point shot for the lead. The Blue Raiders rebounded the ball found Harris again at the 3-point line and he tied the score on the second try, leaving the Panthers just seven seconds to answer.
Seven seconds was more than enough time and the Panthers won the final home game of 2015.
The Panthers had four players, Ware (18), Williams (13), Markus Crider (12) and Jeremy Hollowell (10), score in double digits.
The Panthers capitalized off the Raiders overly aggressive defense and made it count at the free-throw line. The team made 17 of 26 free throws in the game. Williams made nine free throws himself.
Big blocks from forward Jordan Session and Ware were big momentum swings for Georgia State in the second half. Ware chased down his turnover and pounded a Middle Tennessee fast-break layup off the backboard.
The Panthers gave up the 3-pointer in the second half. The 3-point shooting in the first half was so bad (14.3 percent), the team only made two attempts in the second half. They missed those as well.
