The Arkansas State Red Wolves basketball team took the court for the first time this season in an exhibition matchup with the Harding Bisons. Despite a close first half, the Red Wolves ran away with an 80-54 victory at First National Bank Arena.

Canberk Kus led all scorers on the night with 20 points, nearly notching a double-double along the way with 9 rebounds and 4 assists. The senior shot a solid 7-for-10 from the field in the contest, highlighted by a slam dunk in the second half. He was also a perfect 4-for-4 from the charity stripe on the night and a phenomenal +40 for the contest.. Caleb Fields and Malik Brevard both added 13 points each and Antwon Jackson picked up 11 points off the bench.

Exhibition games are little more than glorified practices against unfamiliar competition. Though the victory will not count toward A-State’s 2019-20 record, the contest was full of takeaways for the near future of the Red Wolves. Everything should be taken with a grain of salt, of course, but there is plenty to be hopeful for in Jonesboro moving forward.

Overall, the Red Wolves looked like a solid, defensive-minded, fundamental basketball team. Obviously the scoring outputs of Ty Cockfield last season will be missed, but this team will be built differently than last year’s one man show. Four Red Wolves reached double digits, two more notched at least 7 points, and four more got on the board on the night.

Offensively, Kus and Brevard dominated in the paint, scoring both off of drives and with their backs to the basket. They combined for three dunks on the night as well. Jonesboro native Marquis Eaton served as a floor general in head coach Mike Balado’s offense, dishing out 5 assists in true point guard fashion.

Eaton struggled shooting on the night, going just 1-for-8 from the field with 2 total points, but picked up the slack on the defensive side of the ball with 4 defensive rebounds and a block. Fields absolutely dominated on the defensive end, racking up 5 steals and 4 defensive boards. Overall, the Red Wolves forced an astounding 27 turnovers and scoring 28 points in the process.

Outside of statistics, the optics supported a large margin of victory for the Red Wolves. In short, they did all the little things needed to win a game. They were tenacious on the defensive side of the ball, making every shot a tall task for the opposing Bisons. They fought for every rebound on both sides of the floor and dove for loose balls. In fact, Jake Scoggins put his body on the line diving for a free ball while the Red Wolves were up by 30 points with just over a minute left. That type of hustle will pay off in the long run.

Balado has often preached that he wants his team to make more free throws than his opponents attempt. That was definitely the case tonight, as the Red Wolves went 20-for-24 from the free throw line, while the Bisons shot just 9 free shots all night. The Red Wolves focused on good shots close to the rim (42 points in the paint) while avoiding fouling on the other end while still forcing 27 turnovers.

Though it was just an exhibition game, the emphasis on hustle plays is a hopeful trend heading into the regular season. The Red Wolves played a great brand of basketball that will — at least theoretically — lead to hard-fought wins in the future. Hustle and hard work have always been more important than talent in the world of basketball, and this A-State squad looks to be a living example of the old saying.

Even with that all-important grain of salt, the 2019-20 A-State basketball season looks promising for the first time in a few years. They may lose several games this year, but based on tonight’s performance, it won’t be due to lack of effort and heart.

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