Jonesboro, AR – (Contributed) – Arkansas State men’s basketball (5-3, 0-0 SBC) recovered from an early double-digit deficit to complete a sweep of the field at the Arkansas State Thanksgiving MTE, defeating North Dakota State (5-3, 0-0 SUMMIT) 85-80 in overtime on Friday afternoon inside First National Bank Arena.
TJ Caldwell led the team with 19 points highlighted by 6-for-11 (54.5 percent) shooting from the floor and a career-best five three pointers on eight attempts (62.5 percent). Matt Hayman (15), Chandler Jackson (10), and Chudi Dioramma (10) also reached double figures in points while Jalen Hampton secured a team-leading 11 rebounds.
As a team, the Scarlet and Black shot 27-for-68 (39.7 percent) from the floor and registered a season high of 11 makes from beyond the arc on 33 attempts (33.3 percent). A-State shot 20-for-22 from the free-throw line and outscored the opposition in the paint (32-28) and off the bench (37-18).
The Red Wolves fell behind 20-8 over the first 7:48 of action, but responded with an 11-2 run powered by back-to-back three-pointers from Hayman and Royal Blue Smith. A pair of layups pushed the deficit to seven points before Christian Harmon shifted momentum with another triple.
Dioramma contributed two layups before Caldwell registered the team’s sixth triple of the half to make the score 29-26 in favor of the Scarlet and Black. Both sides exchanged baskets before Blue converted a three-point play at the 1:54 mark, but the Bison responded with a shot from three-point range.
Caldwell countered with his third three-point basket at the 1:13 mark and pushed A-State ahead by six points. Jaxon Ellingsworth registered a layup while the opposition converted four free throws to end the half as A-State took a 39-35 lead into intermission.
The Scarlet and Black landed seven threes on 17 attempts for a 41.2 percent clip from beyond the arc in the first half.
North Dakota State opened the second half with a 5-0 run and regained the advantage at the 17:09 mark. Three lead changes followed before a layup from Hampton would be countered with a three-pointer from the Bison. Hayman broke the tie with two free throws and extended the lead to 50-45 on a triple with 12:41 remaining.
The Red Wolves were outscored 11-2 over the next 3:12 and faced a four-point deficit before Caldwell made it a one-point ballgame with a three-pointer. The opposition landed a dunk before Harmon connected on another as the shot clock expired to tie the contest at 60-60.
Dioramma netted two free throws and pushed A-State in front at the 3:33 mark, holding the advantage for 1:36. Caldwell broke another tie with a pair of free throws as 1:39 showed on the clock, but a foul behind the three-point line allowed North Dakota State to move ahead with a 67-66 score.
The Bison responded to free throws from Jackson with a three-pointer at the 40-second mark. However, Jackson converted a layup at the other end to tie the contest with 24 seconds to go and send the contest into overtime.
Both sides exchanged the first 12 points to create a 76-76 tie with 1:26 on the clock. Caldwell broke the stalemate with his fifth triple of the afternoon and a defensive stop on the ensuing possession gave A-State the basketball with 47 seconds.
Jackson recorded an offensive rebound and pushed the advantage to five points following two free throws. North Dakota State drove for a layup seven seconds later, but Harmon registered two more from the charity stripe to make it a two-possession ballgame once again.
Another driving layup cut the lead to 83-80 with one second to go, but Jackson netted the final free throws of the contest to secure the victory.
NEXT UP
A-State returns to action on Dec. 2 versus UT Arlington, with tipoff scheduled for 7:00 p.m. inside First National Bank Arena. The matchup will be broadcast on ESPN+.
