Postgame radio interview with Brian Burg

STATESBORO – Malcolm Farrington scored 16 points and made four 3-pointers to lead Arkansas State to a 62-58 win over Georgia Southern in the first round of the Sun Belt Men's Basketball Championship Friday night in Hartsell Arena.

Georgia Southern sees its season come to an end with a 13-13 record, while the Red Wolves (11-12) advance to play Georgia State in the quarterfinals Saturday.

Eagles of the Game 
Gedi Youzapaitis led the Eagles with 12 points to go along with three rebounds, three assists and a blocked shot, and Elijah McCadden collected nine points, 10 rebounds and a pair of assists. Zack Bryant finished with nine points, three blocked shots and two steals, and Cam Bryant scored eight points and hit a pair of 3-pointers.

Key Moments
Farrington's triple gave the Red Wolves an eight-point lead with 5:44 to play, but Georgia Southern scored the next six points of the contest and a Youzapaitis driving layup cut the margin to 57-56 with 26.7 seconds remaining. The Eagles brought full-court pressure and got a trap in the corner, but Youzapaitis was whistled for a foul.

Christian Willis, who came into the game making 58 percent from the line, drilled two from the charity stripe with 25.8 seconds left. Zack Bryant was fouled trying to get to the basket on the Eagles' next possession and made two free throws to trim the margin back to one point with 11.4 to play.

The Eagles fouled Marquis Davis, another 58 percent free-throw shooter, and he made both to extend the margin back to three points. Youzapaitis' long triple try from the top of the key was short, and Marquis Eaton was fouled with 3.7 seconds to go. He made 1 of 2 to seal the win for Arkansas State.

Georgia Southern trailed by as many as 11 points late in the first period and overcame a 31-26 halftime deficit to take a brief one-point lead on a Youzapaitis lay-up early in the second frame. Arkansas State answered by scoring the next seven points and pushed the lead back to six points on a Farrington triple with 13:47 to go. 

Stats and Notes
- The Eagles held the Red Wolves without a field goal for the final 5:44 of the contest and held them to two field goals for the final 6:30 of the first half.
- GS outrebounded Arkansas State 43-36, including 12-8 on the offensive glass and had a 16-9 edge in second-chance points
- Arkansas State held the Eagles to 38 percent shooting, including 3 for 18 from long distance.
- Both teams made 23 field goals and had 10 turnovers, but Arkansas State made three more 3-pointers and one more free throw than the Eagles.