Georgia State scored 18 straight points around the halftime break to pull away for a 68-58 victory over South Alabama in Atlanta on Saturday.

The Panthers (8-6, 1-1) trailed 30-17 late in the first half, but scored 12 straight to make it a one-point game at the break. Ja’Heim Hudson then hit a pair of 3-pointers to start the second half and give Georgia State a lead it would never relinquish.

South Alabama (6-8, 0-2) fell behind by 12 midway through the second half before cutting it to three on three different occasions in the final five minutes. However, Georgia State scored the game’s final 10 points — including four straight free throws in the last 42 seconds — to close it out.

Hudson and Dwon Odom each scored 18 points to lead the way for the Panthers, with Hudson grabbing 11 rebounds for a double-double. Jamaine Mann (13 points) and Brendan Tucker (10) were also in double figures for Georgia State, which made 16 of 18 free throws in the game.

Greg Parham scored 15 points to lead South Alabama, while Owen White had 14 and Kevin Samuel added 11 rebounds and three blocks. The Jaguars were playing without leading scorer Isaiah Moore, who suffered what is not expected to be a long-term injury in Thursday’s loss to Georgia Southern.

South Alabama is back home Thursday vs. Arkansas State, the first of four straight home games. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at the Mitchell Center.