Regular-season champ Georgia St. tops WKU 73-55
ATLANTA (AP) Ryan Harrow scored 20 points and Devonta White 19 as Georgia State completed its championship regular season with a 73-55 victory over Western Kentucky on Saturday.
The Panthers (24-7, 17-1 Sun Belt) and the second-place Hilltoppers (20-11, 12-6) receive double byes into the semifinals on opposite sides of conference tournament bracket. The tournament begins Thursday in New Orleans but Georgia State and WKU won't play until Saturday.
R.J. Hunter added 12 points for Georgia State, which has won seven consecutive games. The Panthers scored 17 points off 12 WKU turnovers.
Payton Hulsey scored 15 points, one shy of his career high, to lead the Hilltoppers while Chris Harrison-Docks added 11.
The Panthers were up 11 points at halftime. WKU got within nine, 58-49, with 5:15 left but was outscored 17-6 the rest of the way.
Georgia State won the teams' first meeting at WKU 77-54 on Jan. 9.