NASSAU, Bahamas – Indiana State men's basketball fell in the opening game of the Baha Mar Hoops event, 86-81, to Arkansas State.
 
Neither team could pull away to open the game, as the lead grew no larger than five points by either team. At the 10:19 mark, the score was knotted at 20 from five-straight points by K'mani Doughty off a one-handed dunk followed by a couple possessions later.
 
A pair of free throws by the Red Wovles and a hookshot by Markus Harding kept the score tied, then ASU went on a quick 7-0 run with baskets in three-straight trips down the floor. Two more free throws and a layup made the run 11-0 before Jaden Daughtry made a layup to end the scoring drought.
 
Bruno Alocen knocked down three free throws and Aaron Gray made two to get the lead inside 10 points, but the Red Wolves managed to take an 11-point lead into the halftime break.
 
The phrase "competitive character" that head coach Matthew Graves has used to describe the team was on display in the second half. Arkansas State grew its lead up to 20 points with 12:30 left in the game.
 
The Sycamores clawed slowly back into the game, outscoring ASU 20-10 through the next six minutes and change to narrow the score 74-67 with 6:10 to play.
 
Daughtry (9) and Gray (7) combined for 16 of the 20 points in that stretch, with Josiah LeGree making his first three-pointer of the season.
 
Doughty answered in the clutch in the final minutes of the game. He made a three as the clock passed the 5-minute remaining mark, converted two free throws with 3:23 remaining, then received a pitch-back pass on a fastbreak from Samage Teel on the left wing to bring the Trees within three points with 44 seconds to play.
 
Kobe Julian made a tough finish with 12 seconds to play that gave Arkansas State the five-point lead that the team would hold to end the game.
 
Jaden Daughtry in just over 19 minutes on the court scored a game-high 21 points on a near-perfect day, finishing 10-for-11 from the field and 0-for-1 from the charity stripe. Aaron Gray and K'mani Doughty each scored 13 points. Gray finished 3-for-8 from the field but 6-8 from the line and pulled down nine rebounds, while Doughty shot 4-for-9 and 3-for-6 from three. Markus Harding scored nine points with five rebounds, and Samage Teel recorded eight points, seven rebounds, and six assists. Josiah LeGree chipped in three points, four rebounds, and six assists with two steals.
 
 News & Notes

• Indiana State recorded a season-low nine turnovers in the game, beating the previous number of 13.
• For the first time since February 9, 2023, against Southern Indiana, all players who appeared in the game scored at least one point (nine players).
• This is the fourth-straight game Indiana State outscored its opponent in the second half.
• Indiana State has scored 38+ points in the paint for three-straight games.
• The Sycamores now have recorded 40+ rebounds as a team in three of the last four games.
• The Sycamores shot 54.3% from inside the arc (19-for-35) while shooting 28.1% (9-for-32) from deep.
• Jaden Daughtry set a new career high of 21 points. He scored 15 of them in the second half on a perfect 7-for-7 from the floor. This helps tie the season-high for bench points for Indiana State.
• Aaron Gray's 13 points are a new high in a Sycamore uniform. Five of his nine rebounds came on the offensive glass. Nine of his points and five of his rebounds came in the second half.
• Josiah Legree logged new highs in rebounds (4), assists (6), steals (2), blocks (1), and minutes played (19:04). Five of his assists and both steals came in the second half.

 
Up Next
Indiana State takes on Iona in the first game of the Baha Mar Hoops event, tipping off at 2 p.m. ET.

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