ATLANTA — Sophomore Zaria Atkins and freshman Dasmine Kasey both scored 10 points for visiting North Carolina Central University in a 65-54 loss to Georgia State University in the first game of the GSU Holiday Classic Thursday afternoon.
 
Redshirt sophomore Jada Lewis scored a career-high 30 points in propelling the Panthers to the victory. GSU moved back over .500 at 5-4. NCCU (2-8) was unable to win for a third straight time.
 
Georgia State held a double-digit cushion in the fourth quarter, but a late 7-0 run in the fourth quarter pulled the Eagles within four points, 52-48, with 3:14 left in regulation. NCCU still only trailed by four, 56-52, with 1:33 to go after a successful 3-pointer by freshman Xian Lopez. However, senior Janessa Murphy drilled a baseline trey on GSU's ensuing possession and the Panthers hit all six of their free throw attempts in the final minute to escape with the nine-point victory.
 
Lewis, who was the Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year two years ago, has recovered from an injury last year and is leading the Panthers in scoring. Lewis was 9-for-11 from the free throw line on the way to her best offensive outing yet with 30 points.
 
Akins reached double-digit points for a second straight contest and Kasey was the only Eagle to hit more than one shot from beyond the arc. NCCU's balanced scoring included nine points by junior Shontai Totten. Freshman Kiyana Brown added six points and game-high totals of nine rebounds and four blocks.
 
Senior Rodneysha Martin (7 points, 2 assists) and junior Paulina Afriyie (6 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks), who were both honored by the MEAC with weekly awards, were limited on Thursday as they both fouled out.  
 
The Eagles flew out to a 17-9 lead with Kasey swishing a pair of 3-pointers in the early run. However, the Panthers clawed back by scoring the last eight points of the first quarter to level the score after 10 minutes of play. Lewis accounted for 10 of GSU's 17 points.
 
The Eagles were held to just two made field goals in the second quarter as the Panthers were able to jump ahead 29-25 at halftime. A layup by Atkins on a nice pass by Afriyie ended a nearly seven-minute drought from the floor for NCCU and had the score leveled at 21-21. Georgia State regained the lead, but a fast break layup by Brown on a long outlet pass by Martin evened the score one last time at 25-25 with two minutes left in the first half. However, Lewis deposited the final two baskets of the half to push the hosts back ahead by four points. GSU would stay ahead for the rest of the contest.
 
Lewis led all players into the locker room with 16 points. Kasey paced the Eagles with eight points.
 
NCCU struggled offensively in the first half, but Afriyie and Brown were a defensive force inside with seven blocks as both teams shot under 30-percent. Brown had four rejections and Afriyie swatted away three Panther shot attempts by the midway break.
 
Texas A&M University transfer Walnatia Wright scored seven points in the early stages of the third quarter to help GSU started the period on a 10-4 run to increase its advantage to double digits at 39-29. 
 
A pair of lay-ins by Atkins got NCCU within six at 43-37, but a couple of free throws by Georgia State finished off the scoring in the third quarter and the Panthers entered the final frame up eight points. That margin increased to 11 before the Eagles made their 7-0 run to make things interesting late. The outburst featured a long jumper by freshman Ashlyn Lockard, a 3-pointer by Martin and a layup by Brown.
 
GSU outrebounded NCCU 40-33 and shot 11 more free throws as the Eagles were whistled for 11 more fouls. White just missed a double-double for the victors with 12 points and nine rebounds.
 
NC Central will conclude play in the GSU Holiday Classic against Kennesaw State University on Friday at 1 p.m.