STATE SPORTS UPDATE: A look at close of basketball season, beginning of baseball

WOMENS BASKETBALL - The team opens the CAA Championship on Thursdayat noon as the #9 seed playing the #8 seed, Northeastern, inHarrisonburg, Va.After a winning regular season (15-14), despite losing two starters forthe season and a third for the past several weeks, the Panthers stillwon two of the last three games to carry some momentum into thetournament. The Panthers expect to get leading scorer, DanyiellMcKeller, back from her injury for the tournament.

BASEBALL - WINNIN and GRINNIN - The Panthers found the anecdotefor snapping the 0-6 start with a four-game record-breaking sweep overNorth Carolina Central.Georgia State won the four games by outscoring N.C. Central a combined103-10 with 83 hits, 41 walks and 21 errors committed by Central to helpthe Panthers even more. That included breaking the single-game run totalof 22 runs three different times in 33-5, 32-3 and 24-2 wins. The fourthwas a 14-0 shutout. One of the many leaders of the weekend was juniorshortstop Mark Micowski, who hit for the cycle in the first game as hewent 7-for-8 just on day one, and upped his season average to .489.The Panthers, now 4-6, will play host to UNC Asheville at 4 p.m. Mondayto try for five in a row.

SOFTBALL - WINNIN and GRINNIN - The 12-5 Panthers had three winsover the weekend at the Buzz Classic, including a delightful 7-1 winover No. 23 Kentucky. GSU also earned wins over Bowling Green (8-0) andDartmouth (11-2). Lily Skelton has been an offensive leader early in theseason with her five home runs.The Panthers are scheduled to play host to Georgia Tech on Tuesday at 5p.m. in Panthresville and play in a tournament on March 13-14 at Tech.

TRACK - Tamika Kinchen ran an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 2:07in the 800 meters and just missed her school record by .2 of a second atthe Notre Dame Indoor Meet Saturday. Loris Hutterli came in 10th in the3,000 meters and Janel Blancett finished 11th in her 3,000-meter race atNotre Dame.

MENS TENNIS - The men dropped to 7-5 with a 4-3 loss to Winthrop.The Panthers were without No. 1 singles player, Calvin Kemp, outtemporarily with a knee injury. The team will travel to Jacksonville toplay Jacksonville on March 10 and Appalachian State on March 11.

WOMENS TENNIS - Sophomore leader Diana Nakic remains undefeated atNo. 1 singles, 9-0 on the year, with her win Saturday over Samford. ThePanthers, with just five players, still pulled out a win over Samford.
Next, they will play North Texas State on March 14 over at GeorgiaTech.

MENS BASKETBALL - The Panthers went out with guns blazing at the CAAChampionship in Richmond. The gritty Panthers had rallied to take aone-point lead twice in the last couple minutes and had a one-point leadin the closing 30 seconds when Hofstra made an 18-footer with 16 secondsleft to gain the lead for the final time. GSU had one last chance forthe winning basket, but couldnt get a shot off before the horn wentoff to end the season.The team finishes 12-20 as Joe Dukes again earned All-CAA honors (third
team) and Jihad Ali was recognized as All-Academic second team.

MENS GOLF - The Panthers will get busy with a tournament on March 8and 9 at Samford and then another tournament at Florida State on March12 and 14. They enter these events after a fourth-place finish lastweek.

WOMENS GOLF - After a second-place finish last week in the 15-teamUCF Invitational won by No. 24 Texas A&M, the Panthers should move upfrom their No. 51 national ranking.Next up is the only home tournament of the year, the annual John KirkInvitational at Eagles landing on March 22 and 23.

FOOTBALL - Football will begin Spring Practice season on March 17th andlead up to the final practice scrimmage on April 10 at the Dome.