Jonesboro, AR – (Contributed) – November 16, 2024 – Arkansas State men’s basketball forced 16 turnovers and had 19 offensive rebounds to gut out a 59-49 win over Stephen F. Austin Saturday inside First National Bank Arena.
The Red Wolves (3-1) limited the Lumberjacks (2-2) to just 31.5 percent from the field and 3-of-16 from 3-point range. The 49 points allowed was the lowest allowed by an A-State team since Dec. 1, 2022 (38 vs Mississippi Valley State). SFA edged the Red Wolves in the rebounding battle, 46-45.
Taryn Todd led all players with a season-high 21 points, hitting a career-best 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. The senior guard added a team-high four assists in addition to six rebounds, three steals and a block.
Kobe Julien added nine points and a season-best nine rebounds, including six on the offensive glass, while recording two blocks and three steals. Sophomore forward Rashaud Marshall also had nine boards to go along with seven points and a pair of rejections. Julien and Marshall combined for 11 of A-State’s 19 offensive boards on the afternoon.
SFA struck first to the tune of a 5-0 lead before Julien hit from deep for A-State’s first field goal to make it 5-4 with 15:11 left in the first half. The Red Wolves took a 23-17 lead with 5:18 remaining after a pair of Todd treys bookended a 7-0 run. The ‘Jacks pulled even at 23-all when a Chrishawn Christmas jumper found the net at the 3:36 mark, but A-State ended the half on a 7-1 run to take a 30-24 lead into intermission.
A-State pushed its lead out to 11 with a 7-0 run inside the first three minutes of the second half, but the visitors once again leveled the score at 37-all when Dominic Pagonis knocked down a three. Todd and Terrance Ford Jr. combined for three-straight triples to push the Scarlet and Black’s lead back out to nine, and then Todd later converted a 3-point play to make it 53-41 with 4:49 remaining.
In the final minutes, the Red Wolves would answer each SFA score, including a dunk and lay-in from Julien inside 90 seconds.
NEXT UP
Arkansas State concludes its three-game home stand Friday, Nov. 22, hosting Lane College. Tip-off against the Dragons is slated for 7 p.m. inside First National Bank Arena, and the game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
