Nashville — Ryan Harrow scored 27 points but it wasn’t enough as Georgia State fell to Vanderbilt 86-80 on Tuesday.
In their first test of the young season, Georgia State couldn’t keep up with the Commodores’ smooth passing, which allowed them to hit 10 3-pointers, including a crucial one by Dai-Jon Parker with 1 minutes, 6 seconds left in the game. The Panthers missed 16 of their 22 3-pointers, after hitting four of their first five to start the game.
R.J. Hunter added 21 points and Curtis Washington 13 and nine rebounds for the Panthers (1-1), which got just three points from their bench. Rod Odom and Damian Jones scored 19 each for Vanderbilt.
Trailing 59-54 with less than 10 minutes remaining, Hunter hit a 3-pointer to cut the Panthers’ gap to two.
Rashaad Richardson followed with a free throw. But Vandy answered with a 3-pointer by Rod Odom and a layup by Shelby Moats to take a 64-58 lead, matching their largest margin of the game, with 8:09 left.
Hunter hit three free throws but Vandy answered with an alley-oop by Damian Jones to push the lead back to five.
Harrow scored back-to-back baskets and Washington hit a free throw for Georgia State to tie the game at 66 with 6:12 left.
Harrow and Devonta White, pressing together for one of the few times in the game, combined for a steal, forcing Odom to foul Harrow with 6:01 left. He hit both free throws to give the Panthers a 68-66 lead.
Odom answered with a 3-pointer to give the Commodores a one-point lead. But Harrow, heating up, hit another rainbow jumper to give the Panthers a 70-69 lead. Georgia State followed by forcing a turnover with 3:49 left.
Odom answered with another 3-pointer from the same spot as the last to give Vandy a 72-70 lead. Hunter missed a 3-pointer and missed another jumper but grabbed his own rebound and hit a short shot to tie the game.
Fuller and Hunter traded a free throw each before Jones hit a turn-around jumper to give Vandy a 75-73 lead.
Harrow attempted another acrobatic shot, but this time the ball sailed over the backboard, giving the Commodores the ball with 1:31 left.
Vandy took advantage with a 3-pointer by Parker to increase the lead to 78-73.
The Panthers cut it to four, but Jones was fouled on a dunk by Washington with 24.4 seconds to give the Commodores a 82-76 lead.
Still, the Panthers fought and White cut the gap to two on two free throws with 10.7 seconds left. But Odom hit two free throws to seal the win.
About the Author
