The signs were overwhelmingly positive for the new-look Georgia State basketball team in Monday’s season opener. The Panthers displayed great depth, shot the ball better, especially from the perimeter, and showed the willingness to scrap.
But in the end it was the defense that let them down and allowed Belmont to come away with an 89-87 win at the Curb Event Center in Nashville.
“The defense was non-existent,” Georgia State coach Jonas Hayes said. “Breakdown after breakdown after breakdown. Not to take anything away from Belmont. They’re well-coached and they have good players but there’s no excuse for our defense. There were a lot of positives, but make no mistake about it, our defense has got to get better.”
Georgia State had a chance to steal a win on the road – something that didn’t happen during last year’s 10-21 season – at the end.
The game was tied three times in the final four minutes and the momentum appeared to be tilted in GSU’s direction when the Panthers took possession after a Belmont shot-clock violation with 36 seconds remaining.
Veteran Dwon Odom, a second-team preseason all-Sun Belt pick, was chosen to handle the ball and take the last shot. His mid-range jumper rattled the rim and popped back to him. Odom then missed the follow-up and during the rebound scramble, GSU’s Lucas Taylor fouled Belmont’s Malik Dia. The beefy 6-foot-9, 240-pound sophomore made a pair of free throws to put the Bruins ahead. Odom’s running 3-pointer with one second left was wide and Belmont controlled the rebound at the horn.
“The play was to get to the cup, but he made a decision and if he’d made the shot we’d all be going home happy and shouting ‘Glory hallelujah,’” Hayes said. “But the ball didn’t go in and that’s just how the ball bounces sometimes.”
The Panthers used ten players, starting five transfers and bringing their four returning players off the bench. Georgia State had four players score in double figures – Leslie Nkereuwem with 14 points, Jay’Den Turner with 12 points and 11 rebounds, Lucas Taylor with 12 points, and Brendan Tucker with 10 points. Edward Nnamoko scored a career-high nine points with five rebounds.
“Scoring won’t be our problem,” Hayes said. “We’ve just got to get those stops.”
Belmont, expected to be one of the top teams in the Missouri Valley Conference, was led by Cade Tyson, last year’s MVC freshman of the year, with a career-high 29 points on 5-for-7 shooting on 3s. Dia, a transfer from Vanderbilt, had a career-high 24 points and four rebounds.
The game was close for 40 minutes; the largest lead for either team was seven points. The only troubling offensive stretch for Georgia State that brought back nightmares of last year’s team came late in the first half and early into the second when the Panthers endured a 12-0 stretch. But the Panthers tied it up with 11:33 remaining and led 76-70 with seven minutes remaining.
It was the first opening-night loss for the Panthers since the 2012-13 season. They play again on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Western Michigan in the first Sun Belt-MAC Challenge.
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