Photo by: Krishnan Collins | Sports Editor: Marquis Eaton scored 19 points in A-State’s 75-71 win over South Alabama. 

JONESBORO- A boisterous First National Bank Arena saw the Arkansas State men’s basketball team take down pre-season Sun Belt Conference favorite South Alabama 75-71 Thursday night.

Marquis Eaton led the Red Wolves (14-7, 6-4 SBC) with 19 points against the Jaguars while Christian Willis chipped in with 17 points. Jerry Johnson also scored in double digits registering 10 points to his name.

Pack Pride night in the FNBA meant the student section stood filled to maximum capacity, mostly with sorority members, and the crowd played a major role in A-State’s crucial SBC win.

“I just beg them,” A-State head coach Mike Balado said. “I don’t know what I have to do. I’ll do whatever I have to do. I will clean their kitchen. If every sorority will have me, I will clean their kitchen every Sunday after basketball season is over until school is out if they come and fill the game up like that. I will put on my apron and I’ll put on my gloves and I’ll clean everything.”

Balado could not say enough about the help of the crowd.

“They don’t understand the emotion that it gives our guys,” Balado said. “That’s a good basketball team. That’s a heck of a Sun Belt game. It was a tie game with two minutes to go. And you don’t think that them cheering helped us out? When C-Will hit that three the place erupted. That gives us life. I just wish students would understand that and take time to come watch these kids play. I don’t know if we could have won that game without that crowd.”

A-State took the lead in the first half and never gave it up. The Red Wolves have typically had to battle back from deficits this season, but in this game they had to deal with the pressure of holding a lead against one of the best players in the SBC.

As he usually does, Josh Ajayi had a monster game for the Jags and led South Alabama with 23 points and nine rebounds on the night. With 32.9 seconds left to play, the visitors had an in-bounds play down 72-71 and the ball found its way to Ajayi.

Due to A-State’s normal big-men J.J. Matthews and Malik Brevard fouling out, freshman Antwon Jackson was left to deal with South Alabama’s star man with the game on the line.

Jackson held his own against Ajayi and forced the star into a tough shot. Eaton came down with the rebound and got fouled while hitting the floor.

A-State’s leading scorer on the night sunk two free throws on the other end of the court to put the game almost out of reach at 74-71. It would take another defensive stop from the Red Wolves and a single Melo Eggleston free throw for A-State to close the game out 75-71.

“He (Jackson) keeps growing day-by-day,” Balado said. “He’s in great shape, he’s getting in much better shape. He’s a great listener. He’s very coachable, he asks great questions. The thing I like about him is we say he’s a freshman, but if you tell him that he gets mad. He’ll tell you ‘I’m not a freshman, stop calling me that’, because he wants me to trust him in situations like that.”

Game Summary

Second Half

The matchup proved to be a chippy contest. South Alabama’s head coach Richie Riley received a technical foul with 14:15 to go after exchanging some words with a referee.

Just under two minutes later, South Alabama’s Kevin Morris was charged with a flagrant foul after fouling Caleb Fields hard on Fields’ drive to the basket.

It looked like A-State was running away with the contest when Eaton knocked down a 3-pointer to put the Red Wolves up 10, 55-45, with 9:41 to play.

A-State even led by 12, 60-48, with 7:47 left to play. However, with Matthews and Brevard on the verge of fouling out, South Alabama was still very much in the game.

Andre Fox hit back-to-back 3-pointers for the visitors to bring the game within four at a 62-58 scoreline. This forced Balado into a timeout.

On a strong dribble with just over two minutes to play, Ajayi hit a layup and the ensuing foul shot to tie the game 65-65.

However, Willis stepped up and hit a major 3-pointer that sent the FNBA into a frenzy and set up a photo finish with the Red Wolves leading 70-67 with 1:46 to play.

First Half

Whether a tough atmosphere or stellar defense by the Red Wolves, or a combination of both, South Alabama struggled to emerge from the starting gates.

The Jaguars did not manage a single point until 15:37 remained on the clock in the first half.

Eaton started the game by getting fouled on a 3-point shot and the junior guard sunk all three of his free shots as the Red Wolves jumped out to an early lead.

After a shot clock malfunction that caused a stoppage in the game with 13:30 to play, South Alabama finally woke up and clawed their way back into the matchup.

Ajayi made a layup and the ensuing free throw after being fouled to bring the visitors within one point at an 8-7 scoreline.

Despite resistance from the Jaguars, the Red Wolves never game up their lead in the first half and coach Balado got to his feet after a stellar move by his squad.

With 3:23 left to play Eggleston blocked a shot and collected his own block. The redshirt sophomore spurred a fast break opportunity as he launched a pass down court to Christian Willis. Willis missed his jumper but Brevard was there for the rebound and put back.

Brevard’s layup put the Red Wolves ahead 29-22 before A-State went into the half ahead 31-27.

Looking Ahead

A-State travels to Troy Saturday for another SBC matchup. Tip off is set for 4:15 p.m.

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