Eagles Rally for 68-64 Overtime Win over Georgia State

VIDEO: Post-game interview with Coach Charlton "C.Y." Young
VIDEO: Post-game interview with Junior Tré Bussey
VIDEO: Post-game interview with Junior Eric Ferguson
VIDEO: Post-game interview with Senior C.J. Reed

PHOTO GALLERY: Georgia Southern Game Day vs. Georgia State -- 12-29-2012 

FINAL STATS (PDF)

STATESBORO, Ga. – Georgia Southern Men’s Basketball overcame a 10-point deficit in the final two minutes of regulation to take a 68-64 overtime win over Georgia State at Hanner Fieldhouse on Saturday afternoon. The Eagles spotted the Panthers a 17-0 lead, but rallied to force overtime. Big three-pointers down the stretch and in overtime gave the Eagles their 32nd victory all-time against Georgia State in the 45th game of the series

“We told the team to keep ‘chopping wood’ and to stay in the game to see what happens,” said Head Coach Charlton “C.Y.” Young. “We made a great run late to get the win. When we weren’t playing well we didn’t put our heads down, we stayed together and found a way to get the win. I’m really proud that we showed the character and toughness that Georgia Southern teams should show.”

Eric Ferguson came up two points shy of a career-high as the junior dropped a season-high 24 points against the Panthers. He scored six points in the final 90 seconds of regulation including a three-pointer which sent the game to overtime. In the extra frame, he added another bucket from downtown to cement the victory.

Tre Bussey scored 17 points with five rebounds as the Eagles improve to 6-7 at the end of 2012. Brian Holmes had a breakout game for the Eagles, adding a season-high eight points including his first three-pointer in a Georgia Southern uniform. C.J. Reed had a slow night offensively, but added a clutch three-pointer in overtime to post seven points with a season-high five assists.

Georgia State put four players in double-figures with R.J. Hunter and Devonta White each scoring 14 points, while Manny Atkins and James Vincent scored 11 points each. Vincent had nine rebounds and five blocks in the game while starters Hunter and Rashaad Richardson fouled out of the contest. The Panthers fall to 5-8 on the season.

Marvin Baynham led the team with six rebounds while Kameron Dunnican recorded a career-high three blocks. Georgia Southern forced 23 turnovers on the afternoon, converting them into 28 points. Georgia State out-scored the Eagles 34-18 in the paint and carried a 39-34 advantage in rebounds.

The Eagles got off to their slowest start of the season going 0-of-7 with five turnovers to start the game. Georgia State, meanwhile, went on a 17-0 run making seven of their first eight baskets from the field. Ferguson put the Eagles on the board with 13:26 left in the first half on a 10-foot jumper.

Despite the slow start, the Eagles fought back to bring the lead within six inside of six minutes to play with a 17-6 run. Georgia Southern, however, would get no closer than six points in the first half and trailed by eight at the halftime intermission, 29-21.

In the first five minutes of the second half the Eagles got within six points at 35-29 with 14:48 remaining before the Panthers stretched the lead back to 10 points just over a minute later. The teams traded baskets as the lead stayed close to 10 points inside of the eight-minute media timeout.

Georgia State scored its final points of regulation with 1:58 remaining, to go up by a 55-45 margin. From there the Eagles went on a 10-0 run to force overtime. Holmes started the run with a layup, followed by an old-fashioned three-point play by Ferguson to cut the lead to six with 1:21 left. Ferguson scored two more the free throw line with 49 seconds left to make it a three-point game.

Another Panther turnover gave the Eagles the ball back with 29 seconds remaining. Ferguson hit a spot-up three-pointer to bring the teams level with 21 seconds remaining. Georgia State got the ball back and missed their three-point opportunity in the final seconds as the Eagles forced overtime for the first time this year.

In the extra frame the teams traded early free throws before Reed gave the Eagles their first lead of the afternoon with 2:16 left on a three-pointer from the corner. After a pair of free throws by State, Ferguson knocked down another three-pointer to give Georgia Southern a four-point lead at 64-59 with 1:37 left.

Georgia Southern wouldn’t look back, making three of their final four free throws and adding a layup from Bussey to take the 68-64 victory over in-state rival Georgia State.

The Eagles open 2013 with a trip to UAB on January 2nd. Southern faces the Blazers on Wednesday evening at 8 p.m. (ET). The game can be heard live across the Georgia Southern Radio Network and online at GSEagles.com.

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Category: Men's Basketball

Published on Saturday, 29 December 2012 18:41