AMHERST, Mass. (AP) D'Marcus Simonds scored 24 points and grabbed nine rebounds and Georgia State Panthers beat UMass 71-63 on Wednesday night.

Simonds - who has averaged 20.9 points a game this season - was 9 of 18 from the field including three 3-pointers. Devin Mitchell added 14 points for the Panthers (8-4). Malik Benlevi had 13 points, six rebounds and four assists and Jeff Thomas chipped in 12 points.

Following a 28-all tie at the break, the Panthers trailed 50-44 with 8:50 to play. They tied it up again, 55-55, on a Mitchell 3-pointer with 6:09 left. Mitchell sank three more from distance and Simonds and Benlevi added one more each in a 15-5 surge to put Georgia State on top for good, 70-60, with 1:02 remaining.

Luwane Pipkins and Carl Pierre led the Minutemen (6-6) with 14 points apiece.

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