Red Wolves defeat UT Rio Grande Valley 75-58 at Acrisure Invitational
A balanced attack and a hot start lifted the Arkansas State men’s basketball team to a bounce-back 75-58 victory against UT Rio Grande Valley on Saturday at the Acrisure Invitational.
A-State (2-4) had six players score nine or more points, led by three in double figures, while out-rebounding the Vaqueros (2-5) 50-34. The Red Wolves shot 40.7 percent (24-59) from the field and hit 12 of 29 from 3-point range for a 41.4-percent clip.
Freddy Hicks led all players with 18 points on 6-of-10 shooting with five rebounds and five assists, while all-tournament pick Dyondre Dominguez recorded his second double-double of the year with 11 points and 15 boards. Izaiyah Nelson provided a spark off the bench down low for the Scarlet and Black with 12 points and nine rebounds.
Avery Felts and Julian Lual both scored nine points on 3-of-6 from the perimeter, and Taryn Todd added nine points and seven boards.
A-State limited UTRGV to just 31.7 percent (19-60) from the floor and 1-of-9 (11.1 percent) from deep. Individually, J.J. Howard led the way with 16 points.
The Red Wolves started hot on both ends of the floor and stayed hot, shooting 51.5 percent (17-33) from the floor and hitting 9-of-17 from 3-point range (52.9 percent), while holding the Vaqueros to just 18.5 percent (5-27).
After UTRGV scored the game’s first basket, A-State quickly surged out to a double-digit lead that escalated to as much as 39 after Lual drained a corner trey with 2 minutes left in the half. The Vaqueros closed with five straight points to cut the Red Wolves’ lead at the break to 51-17.
The Vaqueros came out in the second half and cut the deficit down to as low as 15, but would get no closer as A-State held on for the victory to conclude its stint in the desert.
NEXT UP
Arkansas State returns home to host Jackson State on Tuesday, with tip-off against the Tigers slated for 7:30 p.m. following the A-State women’s basketball contest against Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 5 p.m.
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