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A-State Drops 85-68 Decision To UAPB In Season Opener

In the 2020 season opener on Friday at First National Bank Arena, Arkansas State dropped an 85-68 decision to in-state foe Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

Four players scored in double figures for the Red Wolves (0-1), led by 15 from Morgan Wallace, but Tyler Pyburn's game-high 23 points paced four double-digit scorers for the Lady Lions (1-0).

Wallace added eight rebounds and two blocks to lead A-State, while Jireh Washington added 12 points, all coming in the second half. Trinitee Jackson scored 10 points and six boards while Karolina Szydlowska dropped 10 points and seven rebounds in her debut. As a team, A-State shot 36.4 percent from the field (24-66) and 75 percent from the free-throw line (15-20).

In addition to Pyburn's 23, ShiCoriya Orr scored 19 off the bench for UAPB, while Trasity Totten added 17 and Joyce Kennerson chipped in 16. Nissa Sam-Grant grabbed a game-high 10 boards to go along with four points. The Lady Lions shot 44.4 percent from the field (28-63) and 38.5 percent from three-point range (10-26). UAPB also outrebounded the Red Wolves 43-38.

A-State scored first on a pair of free throws by Jackson but started slow on the offensive end, connecting on just two of its first 10 shots. UAPB led 11-6, but a pair of layups by Wallace cut it to 11-10 at the first-quarter media timeout. With 3:36 left in the first, Karolina Szydlowska netted her first career A-State points to put the Red Wolves ahead 12-11 – a lead they would hold for the rest of the quarter, leading 20-19 after the first 10 minutes.

UAPB opened the second quarter on a 7-0 run to lead 27-20 before a Wallace layup broke the scoring drought. The Lady Lions then extended their lead to eight on a three by Pyburn. After a free throw by Jackson cut it to seven, UAPB stretched its lead out to 12 on a layup by Totten and corner three by Pyburn.

Mattie Hatcher drilled a three with 1:56 left in the half to cut it to 39-30, sparking an A-State comeback to end the half. Kennerson went 1-of-2 at the line to make it a 10-point contest once again, but A-State closed on a 6-0 run that ended with a Szydlowska trey to make it a 40-36 UAPB lead at the half.

After being held scoreless in the first half, Jireh Washington scored six of the first nine points of the second half for Arkansas State, cutting UAPB's lead down to one at 46-45 with seven minutes left in the third quarter. The Lady Lions would battle back to extend their lead out to seven on a three-point play by Kennerson midway through the frame.

UAPB led by nine with 4:32 to go in the third when a three by Wallace and layup by Washington cut it to four with three minutes left. The Lady Lions responded by holding onto their lead for the rest of the quarter, leading 64-57 with 10 minutes to play.

The Lady Lions opened the fourth scoring five unanswered to lead 69-57 with 8:08 to go before an 8-0 run by A-State cut it to four at 69-65 with 5:49 left. UAPB then scored 10 straight to lead by 14 and force an A-State timeout, ultimately leading by as much as 15 before the Red Wolves cut it to 12 on a jumper by Jackson. The Lady Lions then closed out the contest scoring five straight.

A-State looks to bounce back Wednesday, Dec. 2, hosting SIU Edwardsville (1-0) at 5 p.m. CT inside First National Bank Arena. The broadcast can be watched live on ESPN+ while the radio broadcast can be heard on 95.3/96.9 The Ticket.

Notables:

Seven players made their debuts for Arkansas State –Hilani Cantone, Jordyn Brown, Jada Stinson, Mattie Hatcher, Talia Roldan, Seynabou Thiam and Karolina Szydlowska.

Four of those players – Stinson (8), Hatcher (3), Roldan (2) and Szydlowska (10) scored for the Red Wolves.

Morgan Wallacescored in double figures for the ninth straight game dating back to last season. She led A-State in scoring for the ninth time in her career while also leading in rebounding for the 29th time.

Jireh Washington scored in double figures for the fifth straight game and the 11th time in the last 12 dating back to last season. It marked the 35th time in her career that she's scored 10 or more.

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