By: Andrew Gavin (@GBGavin)
GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) – Continuing a trend under head coach Brian Wardle, Green Bay (10-3) bounced back in a big way on Saturday afternoon in front of a big crowd at the Resch Center. The Phoenix has not lost back-to-back regular season games in nearly two years, and thanks to a career performance from junior Carrington Love (Milwaukee, Wis.) and a 21-3 run to end the game, it stayed that way as Green Bay dispatched visiting Georgia State (7-4) 78-61 in a matchup of two of the nation's best mid-major programs.
Green Bay entered at No. 4 and Georgia State No. 12 in the College Insider Top-25 poll, but it was the Panthers that had early bragging rights this season thanks to a 72-48 win in Atlanta on Dec. 4. Early on, Georgia State had a double-digit lead (29-18), but the Phoenix responded, much to the pleasure of 4,267 fans.
Love played a major factor in the big turnaround offensively and defensively, both on Saturday afternoon and from the first meeting. The junior guard made 10-of-14 shots from the field, including 4-of-6 from long range, en route to a career-high 28 points.
He had only two points in Atlanta when senior Keifer Sykes (Chicago, Ill.) was the lone player in double figures. Love has since reached double figures in six-straight games, averaging 16.8 points on 52.1 percent shooting.
Sykes had plenty of help on Saturday, including on the defensive end. Georgia State stars R.J. Hunter and Ryan Harrow combined for 33 points, but the duo took 37 shots (14-37) from the field and was only 1-of-9 from long range. Harrow was 0-of-7 and scoreless after a first half in which he scored 14 points and helped stake GSU to a 37-35 lead.
Green Bay jumped out early in the second half and pushed a lead to as many as 49-42 and 57-51 with 8:17 to play, but the Panthers rallied with seven-straight points for a 58-57 lead at the 5:59 mark.
It was all Phoenix from there, with Love scoring eight points, freshman Daeshon Francis (Indianapolis, Ind.) tallying six and Sykes adding four during a 21-3 run to end the game.
While the Green Bay starting backcourt was scoring 41 points (Sykes: 13 points, 6 assists, 3 steals), it was also getting double-figure efforts from junior Jordan Fouse (Racine, Wis.) and Alfonzo McKinnie (Chicago, Ill.). Fouse stuffed the stat sheet with 14 points, seven assists, five rebounds and four steals while McKinnie totaled 11 points and six rebounds in his first start in a Phoenix uniform.
Green Bay has now won 14-straight games following a loss in the regular season, dating back to Jan. 5, 2012.
The Phoenix will look to start a winning streak on Wednesday, hosting Chicago State for a matinee tip-off at the Resch Center at 12 p.m. It will be the final non-conference game for Green Bay before opening Horizon League play at home on Jan. 5 against Wright State.
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