App State men’s basketball beat Georgia State in a close game Saturday afternoon, winning 80-76. 

The Black and Gold had a tough time defensively in the first couple minutes, giving the Panthers the lead on a 6-0 run. It was clear from the start both teams were playing a quick offensive game, turning the ball over more times than anticipated. 

The Mountaineer offense started to show some signs of life with a bounce pass assist from graduate student guard Jackson Threadgill to graduate student forward CJ Huntley to set up a huge dunk. 

App State had their first lead of the game 14-13 with 11:30 left in the first half. Huntley was a force to be reckoned with in the first, making almost back to back dunks and already at 10 points while only 10 minutes underway. 

Redshirt senior guard Myles Tate closed the half with a step away three. 

At the start of the second half, junior guard Dior Conners gave the Panthers a run for their money, opening up with a step-back three. Another three by Conners and a couple trips to the free throw line put the Mountaineers up significantly. 

The Panthers came back in the second half, only trailing 63-58 with eight minutes left on the clock. 

Toward the end of the second half, the Mountaineers started to use more of the shot clock allowing for good ball movement and wide open shots from three. 

Senior forward Jalil Beaubrun was strong inside the paint, grabbing 3 offensive rebounds within the last five minutes in the second half. 

As the Black and Gold entered the bonus, the last few minutes came down to crucial shots from the foul line. 

Conners and Tate highlighted the game against the Panthers. Conners recorded 18 points while Tate scored 25. 

App State’s starting five did some damage on the court, scoring 78 out of the 80 points this game while shooting 50.9% from the field and 44.4% from beyond the arc. 

The Mountaineers will host Southern Miss Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. The game will be live streamed on ESPN+.