Ware leads Georgia State past Middle Georgia State 73-54

ATLANTA (AP) Kevin Ware scored 14 points and Georgia State beat NAIA Middle Georgia State 73-54 in the season opener for both teams on Friday night.

Ware was 6 of 12 from the field and had six rebounds with three assists. Jeremy Hollowell scored 12 points and Isaiah Williams added 10 for the Panthers. Kieston Standfield scored 9 points and grabbed 10 boards to lead Middle Georgia State. Seth Coleman, Ryan Wilkins, and Cory Reid added 9 points for the Knights.

The Panthers opened on a 21-8 run and never trailed after the Knights' Kieston Standfield made the first jumper of the game. The Knights pulled to 49-38 with 13 minutes left to play. The Panthers answered with an 8-0 surge, capped by a Malik Benlevi 3-pointer, and Georgia State led by double digits the rest of the way.