AMMAR TAQI | PHOTO EDITOR: Ty Cockfield led the Red Wolves with 25 points in a vital home win over in-state foe Little Rock.
Ty Cockfield’s 25 points led the Arkansas State men’s basketball team to a 72-65 win over in-state rival Little Rock. This improved the Red Wolves’ Sun Belt Conference record to 6-8 on the season and overall record to 12-15. The Red Wolves made it two out of two wins against Little Rock this season.
Grantham Gillard added 18 points to A-State’s total and Tristin Walley contributed 13 points. The Red Wolves only shot 41 percent from the field compared to the Trojans’ 42 percent but A-State made 27 free throws to secure a victory.
A-State played with flair throughout the second half including an alley-oop dunk finished off by Shaquillo Fritz. Eight of the Red Wolves’ last 10 points came from free baskets as the home team shot 73 percent from behind the line.
Ty Cockfield brought the FNBA to life when he finished the first alley-oop dunk of the game to give the Red Wolves a 46-37 lead. Cockfield started the game slow but picked up the pace in the second half.
Both teams emerged from halftime continuing the physical game they played in the first half. A-State led 35-31 as Gillard leapt into the court-side seats in an attempt to save a ball from going out of bounds. The attempt was unsuccessful but the ice that flew into the air was representative of the Red Wolves’ intensity on the night.
A-State went into the break with a 34-31 lead. The Red Wolves lead lasted for almost 12 minutes in the first half but the Trojans kept pace with home team for most of the period.
Grantham Gillard opened the game 6-6 from the field which included three shots from behind the arc. Gillard led the Red Wolves with 15 points at the half with Cockfield contributing 6 points.
The Red Wolves jumped out to an early 15-12 lead. Gillard record 10 points in the opening eight minutes of the game as everything seemed to fall for the Minneapolis native.
A-State travels to Georgia State on Feb. 28 to play in another SBC matchup. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m.
AMMAR TAQI | PHOTO EDITOR: J.J. Matthews was part of a physical game plan the Red Wolves put together at home against the Trojans.
Categories: Sports
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