JONESBORO, Ark. (4/28/21) – A two-time NJCAA All-American and SEC veteran has signed on to join the Arkansas State women's basketball program ahead of the 2021-22 season, as Keya Patton has signed with the Red Wolves after one season at Auburn.
Patton is the third transfer to join the Red Wolves, along with Devyn Lowe (South Alabama) and Ola Makurat (Utah). She averaged 22.5 minutes played in her lone season at Auburn, averaging 6.0 points and 1.7 rebounds while shooting 32.7 percent from the field and 79.2 percent from the free-throw line. Patton appeared in 16 games, drawing eight starts for the Tigers and scored in double digits three times.
"The fact that Keya has 20 minutes per game experience in the SEC is huge," head coach Matt Daniel said. "She knows what elite level basketball looks like. Keya is a three-level scoring athletic guard that will be so helpful to our versatility. I'm so happy to she was able to find a home here and be a part of our family."
The Indianapolis, Indiana, native was arguably the top player in the NJCAA Division I during her two seasons at Wabash Valley College. As a sophomore, Patton averaged 20.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 2.9 steals en route to being named First Team All-American and earning both Region and Conference Player of the Year laurels. She also recorded 10 double-doubles and a triple-double while scoring over 1,000 points in her junior college career.
As a freshman, Patton averaged 12.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game, earning Third Team All-American honors. She shot 52.9 percent from the field, as well as 70.7 percent from the charity stripe.
Patton will have two years of eligibility remaining.
Transfers Patton, Lowe and Makurat add to the six A-State signed in November – Leilani Augmon (San Jose, California), Kiayra Ellis (Shreveport, Louisiana), Lauryn Pendleton (Little Rock, Arkansas), Jade Upshaw (Sapulpa, Oklahoma), Mailyn Wilkerson (Houston, Texas) and Jada Williams (Union City, Tennessee).
"These additions to the six we signed in the early period, coupled with the hungry returners we have on our roster, have me excited about the brand of basketball we will be able to play moving forward," Daniel concluded.
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