Ware, Panthers crush Tennessee Temple in season opener

ATLANTA, Ga. - Game one of the 2014-15 season went quite well for Kevin Ware and his new teammates.

The redshirt-junior from Rockdale High School did a little bit of everything, including being one of five double-figure scorers as the Panthers set a school record for margin of victory in a 115-55 victory over Tennessee Temple at the GSU Sports Arena.

Ware, a Louisville transfer who started at point guard on opening night, hit a pair of jumpers, including a nice pull up in the lane, and had three assists during a 32-7 spurt that put Georgia State (1-0) up 97-40 with 6:43 left.

It was part of a 12-point, five-assist night for Ware, who also grabbed six rebounds for the defending regular season Sun Belt Conference champions. He teamed with starting backcourt mates Ryan Harrow (team-high 25 points) and conference player of the year R.J. Hunter (22 points on 5-of-9 3-point shooting) to form a lethal trio against an overmatched Crusaders team.

The Panthers cruised past the old school record for scoring margin, set in a 45-point win over Piedmont College in December, 1986. The 115 points were the fourth-most in school history and most since a 109-point effort in a victory over Cal-Irvine in November, 1988. GSU also handed out a school-record 27 assists, 19 of which came from the starting backcourt as Hunter had eight assists and Harrow finished with six.

“I really, really like this group (and Friday) we did what we were supposed to do,” said fourth-year GSU coach Ron Hunter. “To have (Ware and Harrow) in the backcourt together playing, it’s a blessing. You add RJ to the mix, those guys are special. It is a blessing for us, you don’t get this very often. Not at mid-majors.”

GSU’s defense was on display in a dominant first half and Ware had plenty to do with holding Tennessee Temple to just 34 percent shooting during the first 20 minutes. The Crusaders went one nearly-five-minute stretch in the first without a field goal as the Panthers used a 17-1 run capped by a Ware-to-Hunter connection for a 3-pointer that turned a six-point cushion into a 32-10 lead with six minutes left.

“I love playing with Kevin, he’s one of my favorite teammates,” said R.J. Hunter, a junior. “He’s so unselfish, doesn’t mind not shooting the ball, loves sharing the ball.”

Hunter scored 11 points over the final three minutes of the half, including an NBA-range three with one second to play that sent GSU into the locker room up 54-25.

GSU’s defense ended up forcing 25 turnovers and had 15 steals. Ware had three of the steals, while Markus Crider led the way with four and Hunter and T.J. Shipes, who narrowly missed a double-double off the bench (10 points, eight rebounds), added two each.

“He changes a program defensively,” Ron Hunter said of Ware. “That’s what Kevin Ware brings, he makes other guys want to defend. He just takes us to another level.”

Curtis Washington added 13 points for GSU, which extended its home winning streak to 14 games. Bryan Jones led Tennessee Temple (2-2) with 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting. Jones and reserve B.J. Brown (4-of-6 for 10 points) shot well, but the rest of the team made just 9-of-39 field goal attempts.


Story at rockdalecitizen.com