LITTLE ROCK, Ark.?Dereke Tipler scored a career-high 30 points sparked a short-handed Arkansas State squad to an inspiring come-from-behind win over Arkansas-Little Rock 74-70, in men's basketball action Monday night.
The Indians (7-10, 2-0) had to empty the bench due to injuries on a night when the stakes are highest, and finished the game with just five players on the floor over the final 12:03.
But it was Tipler's performance, mainly in the second half, that carried the Indians to the win.
Up by three at 68-65 and 53 seconds left to play, ASU was trying to burn the clock down under 30 seconds before shooting. Tipler curled off a screen and shot a deep 3-pointer that rimmed hard off the back iron and into the hands of Marcus Ardison for his 12th rebound of the evening.
The ball went back into Tipler's hands where he was fouled with 21 seconds left. Tipler connected on both free throws, putting ASU up five. Tipler and Yual Banks would each hit a pair of free throws later in the game to put the Trojans (8-6, 1-1) away for good.
Still nursing knee and a hamstring injury, Tipler played 37 minutes in the game, second only to Wells' 38. After scoring just four points in the first half, Tipler carried the team by scoring 26 in the second half to spark ASU's win. Tipler finished with eight rebounds, five assists and two steals on the night as well.
Kyle Wray played nearly the entire second half after Jim Jones fouled out with 12:03 to play after a personal foul and then a technical foul. Wray, a freshman walkon that didn't even practice on Monday due to a stomach illness, played 15 minutes in the game. He finished with two free throws made and an assist in just his fifth game of the season.
Trailing by 10 at halftime, ASU rallied around Tipler and the others in the second half. Smart shot selection was credited by head coach Dickey Nutt as one of the keys to the win in the second half. At one point, ASU was 14-of-20 from the field for a 70 percent shooting clip.
Wells scored 13 points and hauled in nine rebounds to found out ASU's only players in double figures in points. Ardison's 12 rebounds are a career-high for him, while scoring nine points and handing out three assists.
There isn't much time for the Indians to savor the victory, however, with Kitus Witherspoon (back), Brandon Ballard (shoulder) and Jerry Nichols (out for season ? knee) all nursing old injuries and now Lorenzo Hampton injured a hamstring early in the first half of the game against UALR. A road game Thursday against Middle Tennessee is next for the Indians followed by a game at Western Kentucky on Saturday.
