Wolves fall short after late drought

GEORGIA STATE 71, ARKANSAS STATE 68

Redshirt freshman Malcolm Farrington’s third three-pointer gave Arkansas State University a 68-64 lead with 3:11 remaining in Saturday’s Sun Belt Conference Tournament quarterfinals.

The Red Wolves went scoreless for the remainder of the game and committed a pair of turnovers in the final minute, allowing Georgia State to close on a 7-0 run for a 71-68 victory that earned the Panthers a place in today’s Sun Belt semifinals in Pensacola, Fla.

“I thought our guys played extremely hard tonight,” ASU Coach Mike Balado said. “We had the lead and they came back. That’s what good teams do.”

West Division No. 4 seed ASU (11-13) led by 13 points in the first half only to trail at halftime, and the Red Wolves went cold in the closing stages at the Pensacola Bay Center.

Free throws from Georgia State junior Eliel Nsoseme and freshman Evan Johnson gave the Panthers the final advantage, and the Red Wolves squandered two opportunities to draw even in the closing minute on turnovers by sophomore Caleb Fields and freshman Norchad Omier.

The Red Wolves shot 47.4% from three-point range and received 16 points from senior Marquis Eaton. Omier recorded his 15th double-double of the season, posting 16 points and 18 rebounds. Panthers junior Justin Roberts scored a game-high 17 points.

Farrington’s shooting helped ASU to a 32-19 lead with 6:37 remaining in the first half before the Red Wolves missed their final 11 fields goal of the half. The 6-3 guard finished with nine points, and it was his game-tying threepoint attempt that clanged off the front of the rim to seal the win for the Panthers.

“Down the stretch we just got some stops,” Georgia State Coach Rob Lanier said. “We got some of those 50-50 balls that were going to them in the first 37 minutes or so. It was key for us to get some. Our guys took some pride in that. That was the difference down the stretch.”

The Red Wolves opened 6 of 7 from deep. Two three-pointers from sophomore Avery Felts and another from Eaton fueled a 9-2 ASU run that put the Red Wolves ahead 24-16. The lead was extended on made three-pointers by Farrington and junior Markise Davis that gave ASU its 13-point advantage.

A jumper by Roberts with 5:13 remaining opened a 15-1 run, and the Panthers made their final six field goals to enter the locker room with a 34-33 lead.

“It took them a while to get going,” Balado said of Georgia State. “But they made some shots during that stretch. We went on a run offensively where I thought we could have made plays and we didn’t. So they came back.”

The teams stood level at 54-54 with 7:53 to play, and the lead changed hands six times over the next 4:11. Omier put the Red Wolves up 65-64 at the 3:42 mark, and the lead grew to 68-64 on Farrington’s three-pointer on ASU’s next possession.

Georgia State jumped ahead 69-68 with 1:01 remaining on a layup by senior Corey Allen and three free throws from Nsoseme.

Fields’ lob to Omier on the next possession sailed past the freshman forward, and Omier’s offensive foul after Johnson hit both frees throws with 29 seconds on the clock accounted for ASU’s second consecutive turnover.