LAFAYETTE, La. (1/26/24) – Arkansas State men's basketball surged back from a 19-point second-half deficit, but could not close the gap in an 81-75 loss at Louisiana Friday inside the Cajundome.

A-State (8-12, 4-4 SBC) outscored the Ragin' Cajuns (12-8, 5-3) 47-40 in the second half, but a 50-percent (17-34) clip at the foul line proved to be the difference. The Red Wolves matched the Cajuns in the rebounding column, 40-40, including 21 offensive boards.

Taryn Todd provided a spark off the bench, scoring a game-high 23 points for the Scarlet and Black, while Dyondre Dominguez scored 18 points to go along with eight boards. Caleb Fields added 10 points with four assists. As a team, A-State shot 39.4 percent on 26-of-66 from the field.

Kobe Julien led the hosts with 21 points, 10 of which came from the foul line. Hosana Kitenge and Themus Fulks scored 13 points and Kentrell Garnett tallied 12.

A-State owned an early one-point lead early in the contest, but the Cajuns moved ahead with a 7-0 run capped by a pair of Garnett treys. Louisiana then pushed its lead out to nine on a Kitenge score before ending the first 20 minutes with a 6-0 run to lead 41-28 at the break.

Louisiana's lead expanded to as much as 19 with eight minutes to play, but the Red Wolves upped the intensity defensively and moved back within seven with a 16-4 run, putting the score at 69-62 with less than four minutes remaining. Izaiyah Nelson scored on a layup with 46.3 seconds remaining to make it a four-point game, while A-State held the Cajuns without a field goal for the final 2 minutes, 43 seconds. Louisiana converted at the line down the stretch to ultimately hold off the Red Wolves.

NEXT UP

Arkansas State concludes its road swing Sunday at ULM, in a game that was originally scheduled for Saturday, but moved to Sunday due to A-State's postponed game against the Cajuns Friday. Tip-off against the Warhawks inside Fant-Ewing Coliseum in Monroe, La., is set for 1 p.m. The game will be broadcasted on ESPN Plus while the radio broadcast can be heard across the EAB Red Wolves Sports Network as well as the A-State Athletics mobile app.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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