Georgia State 79, Old Dominion 73
Guard Ryan Harrow scored 33 points to lead host Georgia State past Old Dominion 79-73 Saturday at the Sports Arena.
Harrow, a transfer from Kentucky, scored 10 of his points over the final five minutes to rally the Panthers from a 68-64 deficit. His point total was one short of his career high. Harrow had 34 points in the Panthers' season opener against Elon.
Old Dominion guard Aaron Bacote led the Monarchs with 21 points, but he fouled out with 3:54 remaining and his team ahead 68-66. Harrow tied it with a jumper, and after a free throw by Old Dominion guard Dimitri Batten, the Panthers took the lead for good on a dunk by forward Curtis Washington.
With the victory, Georgia State (4-6) improved to 3-0 at home. But this was the Panthers' first win over a Division I opponent since Nov. 18 against McNeese State.
Old Dominion (4-6) lost its fifth straight and fell to 0-4 in road/neutral site games.
Bacote hit four 3-pointers, including the first three he attempted, and guard Jordan Baker buried a triple to snap a 34-34 tie with 58 seconds remaining in the first half as the Monarchs took a 37-35 lead into the break. Bacote finished the half with 18 points and the Monarchs made seven of their 13 3-point attempts.
Old Dominion seized the halftime lead despite committing 13 first-half turnovers that led to 15 Georgia State points. The Panthers were also 15 of 22 from the free-throw line in the opening 20 minutes, which helped offset their 37.5 percent field goal shooting.
Harrow scored 14 of his points in the first half.
Notes: When these teams met in the Sports Arena last season, Georgia State G R.J. Hunter hit a school-record 10 3-pointers and scored a career-high 38 points in a Panthers victory. ... Georgia State won both meetings last year, redirecting their fortunes in a series in which Old Dominion had taken 15 of the first 17. ... Both teams are former members of the Colonial Athletic Association. Georgia State returned to the Sun Belt, a league in which it resided from 1976-81, while Old Dominion is debuting in Conference USA.
