CONWAY, S.C. (Interstat) — A stunning second-half offensive explosion, fueled by a historic shooting performance from beyond the arc, propelled the Georgia State Panthers to a decisive 89-71 road victory over the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers in a Sun Belt Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at the HTC Center.

The most important part of the game was a complete reversal of fortune after halftime. Georgia State, which trailed by nine points at the break after a sluggish first half, erupted for 64 points in the second period, overwhelming Coastal Carolina with a barrage of three-pointers and efficient offense. The Panthers transformed a 34-25 deficit into a comfortable 18-point win by outscoring the Chanticleers 64-37 over the final 20 minutes.

Georgia State’s offensive turnaround was nothing short of spectacular. After shooting just 29% from three-point range in the first half, the Panthers connected on 13 of 19 attempts from deep in the second half, finishing the game 17 of 30 for a scorching 56.7%. They were a perfect 14 for 14 from the free-throw line and posted an offensive rating of 139.8, scoring 89 points on just 64 possessions.

The trio of Malachi Brown, Jelani Hamilton and Trey Scott spearheaded the onslaught. Brown, a 6-foot-1 guard from Buford, Georgia, led all scorers with 23 points, adding four rebounds and three assists in 31 minutes. Hamilton, a 6-6 forward from Marietta, Georgia, scored 22 points with three assists, while Scott, a 6-10 forward from Atlanta, also contributed 22 points, four rebounds and a block. Micah Tucker orchestrated the offense with a game-high seven assists to go with 10 points.

Coastal Carolina, which entered as an 8-point favorite and had a 61% win probability according to Interstat’s ELO system, could not sustain its first-half momentum. The Chanticleers were hampered by 12 turnovers, which Georgia State converted into 19 points, and managed only two assists as a team all game. RaSheed Jones led Coastal Carolina with 18 points, and AJ Dancler added 16.

The game began with Coastal Carolina establishing control. The Chanticleers built their lead with a 12-2 run late in the first half, capped by a Dancler three-pointer with 2:13 remaining, to take a 34-23 advantage. Georgia State managed only a single field goal in the final 6:40 of the period and went into the locker room down 34-25.

The second half was a different story entirely. Georgia State opened with a 14-4 run in the first four minutes, featuring three-pointers from Hamilton, Tucker and Brown, to seize a 39-38 lead. After Coastal Carolina briefly regained a two-point edge, the Panthers unleashed the decisive run. A 17-4 surge, highlighted by three-pointers from Hamilton, Brown and Scott, gave Georgia State a 60-48 lead with 11:49 to play.

Coastal Carolina never recovered. Every Chanticleer attempt to close the gap was met with another Georgia State three-pointer. The Panthers’ lead ballooned to as many as 22 points in the final minutes as they shot 68% from the field in the second half.

Defensively, Georgia State forced Coastal Carolina into tough shots, holding the Chanticleers to 39.3% shooting overall and 31% from three-point range. The Panthers also recorded six steals, led by Hamilton’s three.

The loss dropped Coastal Carolina to an even 8-8 overall record. The Chanticleers will look to rebound at home against Old Dominion on Thursday.

Georgia State, which improved to 5-11, will carry the momentum of its most complete performance of the season into a home stand next week, hosting Appalachian State on Thursday and Marshall on Saturday. The 160 total points sailed over the pregame over/under line of 143.