JONESBORO, Ark. (12/17/12) – The Arkansas State women's basketball
team won its second straight home game with 75-44 victory over Austin Peay
Monday night at the Convocation Center.
A-State (3-7) shot a season high 55.8 percent from the field and
defense forced a season high 22 turnovers on the night on its way to its
largest margin of victory on the year.
Junior Jane Morrill led ASU with 14 points, while senior guard
Ashley Olvera added 13. Hanna Qedan finished with career highs in points (12),
blocks (3) and steals (2), while junior Carlisha
Wyatt grabbed a career best 14 rebounds.
“The players had fun tonight and we got everybody
involved,” ASU head coach Brian Boyer said. “There is no question that we have
challenged this team with a difficult schedule and we spent a lot of time on
the road and our record reflects that, but I feel like this team has done a
good job of keeping their heads up and staying focused on the task and I think
tonight showed that a little bit.”
Qedan fueled the ASU attack in the first half by
scoring nine points and grabbing six rebounds. She scored five straight points
to give the Red Wolves a 17-14 lead with 9:20 to go in the half and also
blocked three shots.
ASU shot a season high 55.8 percent from the field by
working the ball inside to its post players and attacking the basket off the
dribble. Morrill went 5-of-7 from the field on the night, while Qedan and
Olvera were each 5-of-6.
Defensively, ASU held Austin Peay (3-7) to a season
low 27 percent field goal percentage and forced the Lady Governors to commit
costly mistakes, which the Red Wolves converted into easy points on fast break
opportunities.
ASU outscored Austin Peay 18-7 in the first seven
minutes of the second half to build a 49-27 lead. Morrill took advantage of her
size underneath the basket, while Qedan and Olvera knocked down jump shots to
help the ASU lead swell to 49-27 with 13:27 left in the game.
The Red Wolves led by as many as 35 with 2:22 to go
thanks a big night from its bench. ASU played 14 players on the night, 11 of
which scored. Freshman Jessica Flanery knocked down a career best three,
3-pointers to finish with nine points to help the A-State bench outscore Austin
Peay 27-16.
“We talk about have young talent and I think tonight
is an example of that,” Boyer said. “We go deep on our bench with a lot of
freshman and we still extended the lead with them and that is a good sign.”
ASU will return to action Wednesday, Dec. 19 for an
11:30 a.m. tipoff against Nicholls State at the Convocation Center.