March 4, 2003

ATLANTA, Ga. -- Georgia State's women's basketball team defeated Samford 64-52 at the GSU Sports Arena Tuesday, but the game was competitive through 30 minutes of play. After a very efficient first half, the Bulldogs led 28-27 over the Panthers, the first-place team in the Atlantic Sun. Samford extended its lead to 34-29 with 18:28 remaining, but turnovers and GSU's depth spelled the end of the upset bid.

Samford shot 50-percent (11-22) from the field in the first half, while holding the Panthers to just 38.5-percent (10-26) accuracy. Noot Pittman paced the Bulldogs with 11 of her team-high 13 points before the break. Pittman's scoring was needed to keep up with GSU's Evita Rogers, who scored 14 of her 18 points in the first half.

The Bulldogs played under control and handled the ball reasonably well (eight turnovers) in the first half. But after the break, the Georgia State defense implemented a full-court trap that helped induce 12 turnovers. The Panthers had just four second half turnovers.

Samford shot just 9-24 (37.5-percent) in the second half, while GSU shot 14-21 (66.7-percent). For the game, Samford shot 44-percent, while the Panthers connected on 51-percent of their shots.

The players who carried the Panthers were Rogers early and Patechia Hartman late.

Hartman took the game over during the final 10 minutes, scoring Georgia State's final 11 points. Hartman scored 15 of her game-high 21 points in the second half, and for the game she shot 7-11 from the field, and 7-10 from the free-throw line. Lindsey Harris did her part to try and keep the game close, scoring 10 of 11 points in the second half. Chelsee Insell joined Harris and Pittman in double figures, with 12.

The loss drops the Bulldogs to 6-20 (2-13 A-Sun). Georgia State clinched the Atlantic Sun North Division title outright with its 11th conference win against four losses. The Panthers improve their overall record to 16-10.

Samford is in action for the final time this season Saturday at Jacksonville State in a game scheduled to tip at 2 p.m.