Georgia State proves authenticity with win at VCU
Georgia State didn’t come to VCU to make a statement, but the Panthers proved they are the real deal.
An animated Ron Hunter screams at Tony Kimbro Jr. as he takes a seat. (Photo by Chris Conway/CT)
Jim Swing
Sports Editor
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Forty minutes of yelling, shouting and frustrating substitutions had gone by before Ron Hunter finally took off his turquoise jacket and let out a smile.
A flood of his players engulfed the Georgia State head coach as they rushed the court in jubilee of a 55-53 win at one of the toughest venues the conference offers in VCU’s Stuart C. Siegel Center.
The Panthers were on a streak that had lasted 10 games and still many questioned whether they were for real or not due to their strength of schedule. Finally, VCU, a team on an eight-game winning streak of its own, emerged on the schedule for what was sure to be a true test. A test GSU would pass, which came with a thrilling ending down to the final shot.
But Hunter and his group of unforeseen confidants didn’t make the trip to Richmond to prove they were the real deal.
“We didn’t come here to make statements,” Hunter said. “I love when people say that. We just wanted to come here and show we belong; we want to be relevant in the CAA.
“It’s too early to be making statements, the statement was that that these guys came out to play.”
And they did it in front of a raucous opposing crowd that helped pile on a 10th-straight sellout at the Siegel Center, which set a new CAA record. They were heckled, snarled at and imitated in malicious form. Hunter gave a player a stern talking to, which was immediately replicated by the VCU band sarcastically.
Some say imitation is the sincerest form of flatter, but Hunter feeds off of it. At one point he walked to the edge of the baseline and shared a laugh with the band and student section.
“Don’t tell my wife this, but this is better than getting married,” Hunter said. “I’ve been married for 25 years but I’m going to tell my wife I found something better than getting married: I love the atmosphere I love everything about it.”
It’s no secret that VCU holds one of the best environments in mid-major basketball and college basketball altogether. To bring an away team into the building is like walking into a trap, but Georgia State survived.
“I’ve seen Butler, I’ve been in Indiana, we’ve played Purdue,” Hunter said. “I’ve played all the best teams in the Midwest, what a great environment in here. This is a major league environment.”
Perhaps the win on the road won’t stick out in the mind of anyone more than marksman guard Jihad Ali, who led the Panthers with 17 points and 11 rebounds. In his four years of playing time, the redshirt senior has only experienced 10 wins away from Atlanta.
“It feels great,” Ali said. “Anytime you can come on the road, especially in the CAA, especially against VCU, a team that was in the Final Four last year. Its always good to play well on the road and get a victory.”
Wednesday night’s victory came in front of a mass of 7,617 people. The type of crowd a team like Georgia State isn’t accustomed to. Perhaps it makes the win even that more impressive. They’ve been tested, and they’ve passed.
“This is my 25th year of coaching and I have never been so happy for these seniors,” Hunter said. “They’ve never won here and they haven’t won period.”
The Panthers are now winners of 11 straight with a trip to George Mason on the docket this Saturday.
Members of the CAA: you’ve now been warned.