Towson 58, Georgia St. 57

1/23/2008 8:14 PM

TOWSON, Md. (AP) -C.C. Williams scored 12 points, including the decisive basket on a right-side bank shot with 3.5 seconds remaining, and Towson rallied to defeat Georgia State 58-57 Wednesday night.

With 5.1 seconds left, Junior Hairston misfired on a foul-line jumper, but the rebound caromed to an unguarded Williams, about 10 feet out on the right side. Williams hit the leaning one-hander that ended a two-game losing streak by the Tigers (7-11, 3-5 Colonial Athletic Association).

Georgia State (4-14, 1-7) got the inbound pass to Leonard Mendez along the right sideline, but Mendez stepped out of bounds, turning the ball over to Towson.

Josh Thornton led the Tigers with 18 points, Williams added nine assists and Hairston had 10 points and seven rebounds.

Mendez scored 21 points for the Panthers, who have lost six straight and fell to 1-7 on the road. Trae Goldston had 11 points and Rashad Chase grabbed 13 rebounds.

Georgia State failed to improve on a 41-33 halftime lead, finishing 5-for-26 from the field in the second half and shooting 39 percent from the floor for the game.

D.J. Jones' spinning layup in the lane put the Panthers up 57-52 with 2:32 remaining, but Towson scored the game's final six points.

Tony Durant's layup with 2;14 to go got the Tigers within three points before Williams' transition basket, set up by Jonathan Pease's steal, made it a one-point game.