LAS VEGAS – A battle of Panthers is set for Wednesday in the Middleweight Bracket final of the MGM Resorts Main Events Tournament as Prairie View A&M faces Georgia State at T-Mobile Arena.
The game, set for a 3:30 p.m. CT start, can be viewed live online via FloHoops, with links to watch and get live stats at pvpanthers.com.
Prairie View A&M (1-3) never trailed in Monday's 80-70 win over Eastern Kentucky.
Zachary Hamilton had a team-high 23 points with four rebounds and two steals to lead three Panthers in double figures.
Gary Blackston had season highs in points (19), assists (five), and steals (three) while adding five rebounds.
Dennis Jones scored 14 off the bench with three assists.
"I was really pleased with the fact we put two solid halves together against a formidable opponent," said PVAMU head coach
Byron Smith after reviewing Monday's game. "We took really high percentage shots, were really good at the free throw line, and were active on the defensive end for most of the game, although there's always room for improvement there."
The Panthers forced a season-high tying 19 turnovers leading to a season-high 27 points in getting not only their first win of the season, but also the Southwestern Athletic Conference's first win over a Division I opponent this season.
"Winning is great for the soul," Smith said. "We don't talk a lot about it, though. We focus on preparation, approach, and great team effort. It was great for our guys to get a win and has had a great impact on our team."
Georgia State posted a 68-50 win Monday over Eastern Washington to improve to 3-1 on the season. GSU is led by D'Marcus Simonds, who averaged 20.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.
"Georgia State brings a new set of challenges for us," Smith said. "They are athletic, skilled, active and really well coached. They will be a tough opponent but I expect us to be up to this great challenge."
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