‘Unprepared’ Red Wolves Lose to Troy

Red Wolves Lose to Troy 98-84

JONESBORO, Ark. – Troy’s Tevin Calhoun scored a game-high 35 points with seven three-pointers and the Trojans netted an arena-tying record 14 three-point field goals to hand the Arkansas State University men’s basketball team a 98-84 loss this Thursday (Jan. 9) night in the Red Wolves’ Sun Belt Conference (SBC) home opener at the Convocation Center in Jonesboro, Ark.

The loss snaps A-State’s four-game winning streak as the Red Wolves go to 9-5 overall and 2-1 in conference action.  Troy is now 6-9 overall and 1-2 in the league with the win, which is its second in the last eight contests.  The Trojans buried 14 triples on the night to tie a Convocation Center record set by UALR on Feb. 24, 2001.

“They (Troy) beat us every way possible,” said A-State head coach John Brady.  “We weren’t prepared well and they beat and outhustled us on every play of the game.  We didn’t challenge them enough.  We need to do a better job of playing and coaching it if we’re going to be the team I want us to be.

“This is unacceptable in every way possible.  I don’t understand it and this doesn’t sit well with me,” added Brady.

Senior forward Kirk Van Slyke recorded double-figure scoring for the seventh game in a row and the 13th time this season with a season-best tying 27 points, which included 9-of-10 at the free throw stripe, to pace the Red Wolves.  Senior guard Brandon Reed compiled a season-high 23 points by going 6-for-11 from the field and made all eight free throws while senior guardMelvin Johnson III tossed in 17 points.  The other six A-State players who received playing time accounted for a combined 17 points in the contest.

Troy lead almost the entire game as the Trojans shot 57.6 percent (19-33) in the first half, including 60 percent (9-15) from beyond the arc to claim a 54-44 lead at the break.

A layup by Kirk Van Slyke to start the second half closed the gap to eight points at 54-46 just a minute into the frame, but the Red Wolves would get no closer as Tevin Calhoun’s layup pushed Troy’s lead back to double digits.  A-State did manage to trim an 18-point deficit (87-68) at the 5:21 mark in half as the Red Wolves went on an 11-2 spurt in less than two minutes to get within nine points at 89-80 with three minutes remaining.

Calhoun, who would end up one shy of tying an A-State arena record for three-pointers, was joined in double figures by Hunter Williams with 24 and Antoine Myers pumped in 20 points.

For the game, Troy was 32-of-58 from the floor (55.2%) and made 51.9 percent (14-27) from three-point territory.  The Trojans went 20-of-26 from the free throw line (76.9%) and outrebounded A-State by 12 boards (36-24).

A-State ended the evening with 49.1 percent field goal shooting (28-57), which included 33.3 percent (8-24) from long range.  The Red Wolves made 20-of-23 attempts at the charity stripe for 87 percent efficiency.

Kirk Van Slyke and Melvin Johnson III both pulled down six rebounds to lead A-State while Jeff Mullahey along with Josh Warren each grabbed a game-high nine caroms to lead Troy on the glass.

Arkansas State finishes up its two-game conference homestand this Saturday (Jan. 11) night as the Red Wolves face the South Alabama Jaguars at 7:06 p.m. (CT) in a contest to be televised live on the Sun Belt Network and ESPN3. Tickets for this Saturday’s matchup is currently on sale and may be purchased thru the A-State Central Box Office by calling 870-972-2781 or 1-888-ASU-FANS.  Tickets are also available for purchase online at www.astate.edu/tickets.

Arkansas State men’s basketball is on Twitter.  Follow head coach John Brady (@JohnBrady_Coach) and the program’s official Twitter account (@RedWolvesHoops) to get insider news, information, and team updates.  The Red Wolves are also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RedWolvesMBB.

Red Wolves Howl: A-State is now 6-2 in conference home openers … Brandon Reed‘s 23 points represents a personal season high, surpassing his 21 points at Colorado (11/18) and at Marshall (12/21).  Reed has scored double figures in his last five games to date and seven of A-State’s last nine outings …Kirk Van Slyke‘s 27 points tonight equals his season best, matching his scoring output at Nebraska (12/14).  Van Slyke has scored at least 20 points in four contests this season and is averaging 19.3 (135 pts.) in his last seven appearances, all double-digit point performances.