TERRE HAUTE, IND. ? Indiana State returned home on Monday night in search of its first victory of the 2008-09 season against Sun Belt Conference opponent Arkansas State. The Sycamores (0-5) went through ups and downs throughout the game, but fell just short of victory and dropped a 56-54 decision to the visiting Red Wolves (5-1) on Nellie and John Wooden Court at the Hulman Center.
The Sycamores dominated the early going, scoring the game's first seven points. Junior Rashad Reed connected from three-point range with 16:23 on the clock to give ISU the early lead, which later grew to 17-4 after a layup by senior Jay Tunnell. The ISU lead then widened to 20-7 lead after Reed's second three-pointer with 8:22 left in the first half. The Red Wolves then outscored the Sycamores by a margin of 12-2 over the next seven minutes to get back into the game and trailed the Sycamores by a score of 22-19 with 1:43 left.
Tunnell then converted on a traditional three-point play to boost the ISU lead to 25-19, but Arkansas State scored the final four points of the half to trail 25-23 at the break.
The Red Wolves came out of the locker room determined and took the lead early in the second half as JeJuan Brown scored six-straight points to give ASU a 29-25 advantage four minutes into the final half. A free throw by Isiah Martin and a Tyler Cutter trey then moved Indiana State to within two points at 31-29 with 14:19 remaining on the clock.
The Sycamores trailed 35-29 with just over 12 minutes remaining, but fought back into the contest over the next couple minutes. Tunnell connected on four free throws during the stretch, Reed connected on his fourth trey of the game, and Aaron Carter made one of two free throws to pull ISU within three points at 41-38 with 7:16 left. Jordan Printy's second trey of the game at the 7:04 mark then tied the game at 41-41 with 7:04 left on the clock.
Arkansas State's Brandon Ayers came right back and knocked down back-to-back threes to give the Red Wolves the momentum and a 47-41 lead. Indiana State came back again thanks to five points from Tunnell and two free throws each from Josh Crawford and Cutter to cut the deficit to 51-50 with 3:11 remaining in the contest. ASU's Boone then made 1-of-2 free throws, but they were answered by a pair of charity tosses by ISU's Carl Richard which tied the game at 52-52 with 2:35 left on the clock.
Richard then countered a bucket by Boone as the game was tied at 54-54 entering the final minute of play. Boone then came down the floor and put the Red Wolves up 56-54 with 43 seconds left with a 15-footer. On the ensuing ISU possession, Tunnell missed a three pointer with eight seconds left but the Sycamores still had a shot to tie the game after Koggu missed a pair of free throws. However, Reed's shot at the buzzer missed and the Sycamores were defeated 56-54.
Tunnell led the way with 16 points and five rebounds, while Reed added 15 points and five boards to pace the Sycamores. ASU's Boone led all scorers with 26 points on 10-for-13 shooting from the field to lead Arkansas State to its fifth win of the season.
The Sycamores return to action on Saturday, December 6, when they travel to Louisville, Ky., to compete in the Marques Maybin Classic at Freedom Hall. ISU will face off against the host and No. 11 ranked Louisville Cardinals on Saturday at 2 p.m. ET to start the tournament. They will then face Lamar on Sunday, December 7, at approximately 6:30 p.m. and will wrap up the tournament on Monday, December 8, against Ohio at 4:30 p.m.
