GSU hangs on against Umass in holiday tourney

ATLANTA, Ga. - Georgia State had just enough to hold off Massachusetts Friday.

Makeba Ponder and Kayla Nolan scored 17 points each as the Panthers won 71-66 in the Hoops and Holiday Classic at the GSU Sports Arena.

Massachusetts (5-5) secured its first and only lead of the night when freshman Cierra Dillard (15 points) drained a 3-pointer with three minutes to play in the game. Ponder hit the last of her five 3-pointers 14 seconds later and GSU (5-3) went back up for good at 64-62. The Panthers stretched the lead out to 67-62 when Haley Gerrin had a pair of offensive rebounds that led to Gerrin’s free throw and a Logan jumper.

Rashida Timbilla hit a field goal and had a steal and put back and was fouled with 27 seconds to play, though she missed the free throw and it was still a one-point GSU lead. Massachusetts rebounded the free throw miss, but Ciara Rosten traveled to turn the ball back over to GSU. Ponder hit two free throws for a 69-66 lead, then Nolan stole a pass and hit two more at the line to help the Panthers hang on.

“I was really proud of our basketball team to be able to win a tight game and make some plays down the stretch,” said State coach Sharon Baldwin-Tener. “We came together. (Massachusetts) took the lead and we settled down.”

Brittany Logan had a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds for GSU, which won its second consecutive game after suffering through a three-game losing streak. Kim Pierre-Louis led the Minutewomen with 17 points, though none came after the 6:44 mark of the second half.

In the opening half, State led by as many as 11 points at 35-24 on a pair of free throws by Ashley Watson with 3:21 to play.

The Panthers went the final 3:50 without a field goal, though despite the late drought hit 5-of-11 from three-point range - Ponder had a pair and three others knocked down a trifecta - during the first 20 minutes. GSU ended the night hitting half of its 18 attempts from behind the arc.

“We’ve been in the gym shooting a lot,” said Baldwin-Tener.

Emily Mital had an excellent shooting half off the bench and she hit the last of her four 3-pointers at the buzzer, helping Massachusetts close on a 7-2 run and trail just 35-31 at the break. Mital, a senior guard, was held to just two second-half points.

It was an extremely tight second half as GSU’s lead never grew above five points and the teams were tied at 59-59 - the first tie since 2-2 - when Dillard hit a three at the 3:58 mark.

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