ASU Extends Win Streak To Four With 77-70 Victory Over Austin Peay
Courtesy: Arkansas State
Release: 11/25/2006
Isaac Wells led ASU with 23 points and 12 rebounds
JONESBORO, Ark. (11/25/06) — Arkansas State extended its win streak to four Saturday night when the Indians handed Austin Peay State a 77-70 loss in ASU’s Convocation Center. ASU is 4-3 overall, while APSU, who defeated the Indians a year ago as part of the Bracket Busters, drops to 0-3.
ASU’s Isaac Wells scored a season-high 23 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Tribe while Adrian Banks added 21. Guard Yual Banks came off the bench and hit three-of-four from beyond the three-point line to score 10.
“I’m tickled to death that we won,” said Head Coach Dickey Nutt. “I was glad the clock finally rolled out. I thought the first 25 minutes we played about as good as we’ve played all year long. The difference is we were unselfish. It started with our defense and our rebounding, and offensively, we executed to perfection. Hopefully, we can continue to build on that.”
Wells opened the game by hitting a jumper just moments into the game and then getting the steal seconds later. The Indians were spreading it around with freshman guard Ryan Wedel, Adrian Brown and Chris Brown all getting baskets early. Despite 16 points at the half by APSU’s Drake Reed, ASU took a 44-30 lead in at halftime.
“I told Issac I was proud of him,” continued Nutt. “He has made a 360-degree turn. He’s an outstanding talent. When he’s going, we’re going. Towering on the rebounding end makes him a tremendous defender on that end. I told him great players finish it out. Great players rebound and give it to the guard and don’t try to make home run passes. It seems like we want to make the home run play. But, yes, Isaac Wells had a fantastic game.”
The Indians extended their lead to 19 in the second half before Austin Peay’s swarming defense began to force turnovers and missed free throws by the Tribe. The Governors were able to slice ASU’s lead to five with 5:53 remaining in the game primarily due to missed free throws. ASU ended hitting 48 percent (18-37) from the line.
“The last 15 minutes of the second half, it was pretty ragged,” said Nutt. “It all goes to free throw shooting. When you miss 19 free throws, you don’t usually win those games. But, I told our guys, we’re not satisfied by any means. Austin Peay is well coached and he (APSU Coach Dave Loos) used those last five minutes about as good as any coach I’ve faced. But, we’re lucky. We could have been in the locker room licking our wounds, but we didn’t.”
ASU goes back on the road Nov. 27 to Brookings, S.D., to face South Dakota State. Tipoff is 7 p.m. Central.
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