STATESBORO, Ga. (AP) -Antonio Hanson scored 21 points to lift Georgia Southern to a 68-65 win over Appalachian State on Wednesday night on the same day the NCAA placed the Eagles on probation.
Before the game, the NCAA doled out a two-year punishment on Georgia Southern due to an unnamed former assistant coach providing class work for two players in 2007-2008. The Eagles will vacate all wins including the players and forfeit one scholarship per year for three years.
Georgia Southern suspended three players - Julian Allen, Trumaine Pearson and Antoine Johnson - for the final 10 games in February 2009 during its own investigation. Johnson was later cleared.
Hanson's 3-pointer with 54 seconds left sparked a 6-1 run for the Eagles to pull away.
Willie Powers added 20 points for Georgia Southern (5-15, 2-5 Southern Conference).
Donald Sims led the Mountaineers (10-8, 4-3) with 16 points.
