KRISHNAN COLLINS | SPORTS EDITOR: Akasha Westbrook played for the final time in front of the First National Bank Arena crowd on Saturday night. Westbrook scored nine points on senior night.
Jireh Washington led the Arkansas State women’s basketball team with 24 points in an 86-75 victory over Georgia Southern on Saturday night. This extended A-State’s Sun Belt Conference record to 6-10 on the season and overall record to 11-16.
Peyton Martin and Peyton Tennison also scored in double figures on the night. Martin accounted for 20 points and Tennison for 14. Both teams shot 48 percent from the field and the Eagles shot an impressive 50 percent from behind the arc.
Tennison scored the Red Wolves’ opening eight points of the fourth quarter. Tennison connected on back-to-back 3-point baskets before scoring a jump shot to extend the Red Wolves’ lead to 64-57. This offensive showing from the junior guard forced Georgia Southern into a timeout. Jireh Washington played a physical fourth quarter as she completed two 3-point plays. The freshman point guard initiated contact and performed a nifty finish to earn the and-one free throw attempt. Her free throw gave the home team a 76-63 lead as the Red Wolves closed out the game comfortably.
The Red Wolves started the third quarter on an 8-0 run. Despite the hot start to the quarter, Georgia Southern’s 3-point shooting kept them in the game. The Eagles made five 3-point baskets in the quarter alone which ended the third period at a 56-51 scoreline.
Peyton Martin led the Red Wolves at halftime with 10 points as Jireh Washington and Akasha Westbrook chipped in seven points a piece. The first half consisted of 22 turnovers between the two teams, but the Red Wolves outshot the Eagles. A-State shot 47 percent from the field compared to Georgia Southern’s 36 percent.
Jordan Elder hit back-to-back 3-point baskets to extend the Red Wolves’ lead to 32-25 in the second quarter. Washington added to the lead with a nice hesitation move as the shot clock was expiring to finish a layup. Martin connected on a jump shot giving A-State 36-27 advantage. It looked as if the Red Wolves would take all the momentum into the break but the Eagles ended the half on a 5-0 run. This put the home team just four points ahead 36-32 at the half.
The first quarter consisted of a sloppy contest between the two teams. The Red Wolves and Eagles combined for 10 total turnovers in the period alone. Inspired by the occasion of senior night, Akasha Westbrook scored seven points in the opening five minutes of the game giving the Red Wolves a 15-12 lead. Westbrook connected on a 3-point basket before Washington completed a 3-point play and Martin scored a layup to extend A-State’s lead 20-12. The Eagles clawed their way back into the game, the quarter ended 24-20 in A-State’s favor.
A-State plays their final two games of the regular season on the road. The Red Wolves travel to UL- Monroe on Thursday before playing Louisiana on Saturday in the final game of the year before the SBC tournament. Tip off on Thursday is set for 6:30 p.m.
KRISHNAN COLLINS | SPORTS EDITOR: Ashley Clayborn started the game for the Red Wolves on senior night marking her final appearance in Jonesboro for A-State.
KRISHNAN COLLINS | SPORTS EDITOR: Peyton Martin continued her stellar sophomore season with 20 points in the victory of Georgia Southern.
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