Six players scored in double figures on Thursday night, as the Arkansas State men’s basketball team treated a raucous crowd and a national ESPNU audience to a 79-71 victory over Troy inside First National Bank Arena.
A-State (14-14, 9-6 SBC) extended its winning streak to a season-long four games and has now won six of its last seven. With the triumph over the Trojans (18-10, 11-4), the Red Wolves have now won nine or more conference games for the second time in 10 seasons and the first time since 2016-17.
The Red Wolves shot an even 50 percent on the night, including a blistering 58.3 percent in the first half, while out-rebounding Troy 38-30 and overcoming 19 turnovers. A-State hit 11-of-26 from 3-point range (42.3 percent) and recorded nine blocked shots, putting the 3-point/blocked shot balloon to good use in its long-awaited return.
Taryn Todd led all players with 17 points and six rebounds, while Freddy Hicks notched his first double-double of the season with 14 points and 12 boards to go along with a career-high four blocked shots.
Izaiyah Nelson once again enjoyed a stellar night, playing over 34 minutes resulting in 13 points, eight boards and four blocks. Caleb Fields scored 12 points and handed out nine assists, while Avery Felts and Dyondre Dominguez tallied 10 points each.
Troy shot 40 percent from the floor and coughed up 15 turnovers, while being led in scoring by 16 points apiece from Victor Valdes and Tayton Conerway.
The Red Wolves treated the electric crowd with a 7-0 run to start the contest, with a Nelson slam sending it into a frenzy less than three minutes in. A-State expanded its first-half lead to 19 on a Dominguez jam, which capped a 14-2 run with just over 4 minutes left in the half. Troy rallied down the stretch but the Scarlet and Black owned a 39-28 lead at intermission.
A-State roared out of the locker room with a 9-2 run to start the second half, expanding its lead to 18 on a 3-point play by Nelson. Troy held the Red Wolves without a bucket for over six minutes and cut the lead down to two. After Todd made it a 6-point game with a trey, Troy took its first – and only – lead of the night with a 7-0 run capped by a Myles Rigsby layup to make it 66-65 Trojans with 3:11 to go. Felts nailed a clutch three at the 2:22 mark, putting A-State back ahead by a score before Troy pulled even at 68 on free throws by Aamer Muhammad.
Todd and Hicks would lead the final charge in the final 90-plus seconds, combining for 10 of A-State’s final 11 points in the contest and helping end the game on an 11-3 run to pull out the Red Wolves’ fourth straight win.
NEXT UP
Arkansas State concludes its home slate Saturday, hosting South Alabama. Tip-off against the Jaguars inside First National Bank Arena is slated for 2:30 p.m. The game will be broadcasted on ESPNU.
