Men’s Basketball Game Notes – ASU vs. UALR

Courtesy Arkansas State University Athletics Department

Tip-Off: The Arkansas State University men’s basketball team will host its instate rival the UALR Trojans this Thursday (Feb. 14) with sole possession of first place in the Sun Belt Conference’s (SBC) West Division up for grabs. Opening tip-off is slated for 7:05 p.m. (CT) at the ASU Convocation Center in Jonesboro, Ark. The Valentine’s Day matchup is the first of two 2012-13 regular-season meetings between the two schools.

Read Jeff Reed’s game previews here.

2012-13 A-StAte Ticket Information: Individual single-game ticket prices for the 2012-13 ASU men’s basketball season are $12 for the upper center area, $10 for the upper side, $8 for the upper wings, $6 for children and senior citizens (age 55+), and $5 group rate purchase of 12 tickets or more. Tickets may be purchased through the ASU Box Office by calling 870-972-2781 or 888-ASU-FANS. Ticket information for the 2012-13 season is also available on ASU Athletics official website – www.AStateRedWolves.com.

The Records: Arkansas State (15-9, 9-6 Sun Belt West Division). The Red Wolves won for the fourth time in their last five games with a 67-49 conference road decision over Western Kentucky last Saturday (2/9) at WKU’s E.A. Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, Ky. ASU, which is 5-2 in its last seven outings, is 11-2 at home, 4-7 on the road, and 0-0 at neutral sites this season.

UALR (15-10, 9-5 Sun Belt West Division). The Trojans registered their fourth win in their last five contests as a result of a 70-60 conference road triumph over ULM last Thursday (2/7) at ULM’s Fant-Ewing Coliseum in Monroe, La. UALR, which is 6-2 in its last eight appearances, is 3-7 on the road, 11-2 at home, and 1-1 at neutral sites this campaign. A season ago, UALR finished 15-16 overall record with a first-place 12-4 mark in the Sun Belt Conference’s West Division. The Trojans were 6-8 on the road, 9-6 at home, and 0-2 in neutral site games.

The Coaches: Arkansas State – John Brady (Bellhaven, 1976), 5th season, 76-75 (.503); Career – 357-291 (.551) – (4-6 vs. UALR). Brady was named the 2009-10 SBC Coach of the Year and the District VII Coach of the Year by the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA). He served six seasons (1991-97) as head coach at Samford and then spent 10-plus seasons (1997-08) in a head coaching capacity at LSU. Brady guided LSU to two SEC Championship titles along with four NCAA Tournament appearances, which included a Final Four appearance in the 2005-06 season.

UALR – Steve Shields (Baylor, 1988), 10th season, 162-138 (.540) – (10-11 vs. ASU). Shields, who’s the all-time winningest coach in UALR’s history, has guided the Trojansto six conference championships and one NCAA Tournament appearance since being named to his current position in April 2003. The 2003-04 Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year served as an assistant coach at UALR from 2000-03 after spending 1996-00 as head coach at McLennan (Texas) Junior College. Shields was tabbed as the Texas Junior College Coach of the Year and the JUCO Region V Coach of theYear both in 1998. He had assistant coaching stints at McLennan Community College (1990-93), Pensacola (Fla.) Junior College (1993-94), and Kilgore (Texas) Junior College (1995-96).

About UALR: UALR’s current scoring leaders this season are Will Neighbour (11.4 ppg.), freshman guard John Gillon (9.7 ppg.), and Josh Hagins (8.3 ppg.). Will Neighbour (7.0 rpg.) and freshman forward James White (6.2 rpg.) lead the Trojans in rebounding.

• UALR ranks 95th in three-point field goal percentage (35.6%) among NCAA Division I national statistical leaders thru Feb. 10 contests. The Trojans 115th in blocked shots (3.9 bpg.), 128th in three-point field goal defense (32.6 ppg.), 133rd in field-goal pct. defense (41.7%), 153rd in scoring defense (65.4 ppg.), 156th in scoring margin (2.0), 180th in scoring offense (67.4 ppg.), 184th in field-goal pct. (43.1%), and 200th in rebound margin (-0.6). Individually, John Gillon ranks 96th in free-throw pct. (82.6%) while Will Neighbour is 152nd in double-doubles (four) and 194th in rebounds (7.0 rpg.). Junior guard forward Leroy Isler ranks 227th in steals (1.52 spg.). James White and Michael Javes are tied for 250th in blocked shots (1.08 bpg.).

All-Time Series: Arkansas State leads UALR 46-28 in an all-time series which dates back to the 1927-28 season. The Red Wolves suffered a 36-22 loss in the first-ever meeting between the two teams.

• The Red Wolves are 27-10 at home, 17-16 on the road, and 2-2 at neutral sites versus the Trojans.

• UALR has won seven of the last 11 meetings, including the last three matchups – 59-52 at SBC Tourney (3/6/11), 63-62 at ASU (1/14/12), and 62-60 at home (2/25/12).

• ASU is averaging 64.0 points per game (320 pts.) to UALR’s 62.2 points an outing (311 pts.) in the last five meetings between the instate teams. Seven of the last 10 games have been decided by seven points or less, including four of the last five. ASU is 4-6 in the last 10 matchups – 2-2 at home, 1-3 on the road, and 1-1 at neutral sites.

• In last season’s two contests, Marcus Hooten (17.0 ppg.) and Trey Finn (11.5 ppg.) paced the Red Wolves in scoring while Brandon Peterson (8.5 rpg.) along with Finn (6.0 rpg.) led the team in rebounding.

• Marcus Hooten (17.0 ppg.) and Trey Finn (10.7 ppg.) are ASU’s top active career scorers vs. UALR while Finn (6.6 rpg.) and Brandon Peterson (6.1 rpg.) are the Red Wolves’ leading rebounders.

Better Than Before: The Red Wolves’ 15 victories to date this season exceeds the 2011-12 campaign’s 14 wins (14-20 record). ASU is now two victories shy from equalling the program’s most single-season win total of 17 during current head coach John Brady’s tenure at A-State. The 2009-10 team posted a 17-14 overall ledger followed by a 17-15 mark in the 2010-11 campaign. The Red Wolves have compiled double-digitvictories in each of their last five seasons to date and 15 times since the 1987-88 campaign.

Double Figures: Senior guard Trey Finn has tallied double-digit points in eight of his last 10 appearances, which includes four of the last five outings. Finn is averaging 13.4 points a game (134 points) in the 10-game span, including 14.0 points per contest (70 points) in his last five encounters.

800 Rebounds: Senior forward Brandon Peterson is the eighth ASU player to reach the 800 career rebounds mark after grabbing a team-high eight boards at Middle Tennessee (2/7). Peterson has currently recorded 815 career rebounds in 120 games, and needs six more boards to move into a seventh-place tie with John Tate (1985-89; 821 career rebounds).

Double-Digit Boards: Brandon Peterson’s 10 rebounds at Western Kentucky last Saturday (2/9) represented his 11th double-digit single-game rebounds output this season. Peterson has compiled double-figure rebounds in five of his last seven outings and is averaging 10.3 boards per contest (72 rebs.) in those seven games.

Moving Up: Head coach John Brady ranks sixth among ASU’s all-time coaches in victories with 76 total after the Red Wolves’ win at Western Kentucky. Brady has a 76-75 bench mark at ASU and surpassed Marvin Speight (1963-69; 75 wins). He’s now 15 wins away from tying John Rose (1969-76; 91 wins) for fifth place.

Red Wolf Howlings: Ed Townsel’s 57.1% (4-7) shooting at Western Kentucky (2/9) marked his best shooting percentage in his last 12 games. He connected on 60% (9-15) vs. Louisiana-Lafayette (12/27) … Trey Finn’s 23 points at Western Kentucky (2/9) was a personal season best, eclipsing his 18 points against South Alabama (1/31) … Junior forward Kendrick Washington has grabbed more offensive rebounds (47) than defensive boards (38) … Brandon Peterson’s squad-best 230 rebounds this season represents 28.6% of ASU’s rebounding output and is also 37 boards away from matching his career single-season high of 267 rebounds set in the 2011-12 campaign … Ed Townsel produced his 17th double-figure scoring game this campaign with 11 points at Western Kentucky (2/9) … Ed Townsel’s 54 free throws made in 24 games this season is a personal best, bettering his 51 free throws in 34 outings a season ago … Marcus Hooten is within four field goals of the 200 career mark … The Red Wolves are averaging 36.2 points per game in the second half (868 pts.) and 30.3% (728 pts.) in the opening half … Brandon Peterson is five points shy of tying Jay Hansen (1980-84; 1,025 career pts.) for 23rd place among ASU’s all-time scoring leaders … Trey Finn is two points away from moving into an 18th-place tie with Fred Shepherd (1989-93; 1,085 career pts.) on A-State’s career scoring list … Trey Finn is one steal from taking sole possession of fourth place among the Red Wolves’ all-time bests and is currently tied with Dewarick Spencer (2003-05; 170 steals).

Getting Defensive: ASU has limited its opponents to a 57.6 points per game average (288 pts.) in its last five contests. The Red Wolves have held the opposition to 38.8% (101-260) shooting from the floor in that span, including 26% (19-73) in three-point territory. ASU has forced opponents in an average of 14.4 turnovers a game (72 total).

Sudden Success: The Red Wolves have won four of their last five and have outscored their opponent by an average of 10.2 points per contest. ASU is averaging 67.8 points an outing (339 pts.) in those five contests while the opposition has scored an average of 57.6 points per game (288 pts.). Trey Finn is A-State’s top scorer in the five games, averaging 14.0 points an outing (70 pts.).

2012-13 Reference Guide Now Online: The 2012-13 A-State men’s basketball reference guide is now available to view online in a PDF format and contains information for all devoted Red Wolves fans. The 110-page publication features such information as 2012-13 student-athlete rosters, season preview, student-athlete biographies, coaching staff bios, 2011-12 season statistics, and all-time series records along with career, season, and game statistical records. The annual publication is a production of the ASU Sports Information Office under the direction of director Jerry Scott along with assistant directors Chris Graddy and Joe Gorby. To view the 2012-13 ASU men’s basketball publication online, please visit the respective link – 2012-13 Arkansas State Men’s Basketball Reference Guide.

A Season Ago: A-State concluded the 2011-12 campaign at 14-20 overall and posted a fifth-place 6-10 mark in the Sun Belt Conference’s (SBC) West Division. The Red Wolves were 10-5 at home, 2-14 on the road, and 2-1 at neutral sites a season ago.

2012-13 ASU Basketball Promotions: The ASU Athletics Marketing Department will feature special promotions for each remaining 2012-13 Red Wolves’ home basketball game. Click on this link to view this season’s promotion schedule.

2013 SBC Basketball Tourney Tickets On Sale: Tickets for the 2013 Sun BeltConference Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament to be held March 8-11 at the Summit Arena in Hot Springs, Ark., are now on sale. Tickets are on sale for $93 per booklet. Each booklet includes a ticket to each session for both the men’s and women’s games covering all four days. If you are interested in reserving your seats to the 2013 Sun Belt Conference Tournament, please call the ASU Box Office at (870) 972-2781, or you may order your tickets online at www.tickets.astate.edu. Hotel packages can be reserved by calling (501) 624-5521.

Up Next: Arkansas State will travel to Monroe, La., this Saturday (Feb. 16) to face the ULM Warhawks in a Sun Belt Conference game. A 4 p.m. (CT) start time is slated for the matchup at ULM’s Fant-Ewing Coliseum in what represents the second and final 2012-13 regular-season matchup between the two schools.