SUN BELT MEN

Townsel boosts Arkansas State

Arkansas State forward Brandon Peterson (15) shoots over St. Bonaventure defender Demitrius Conger during the first half of Saturday’s game in Jonesboro. Peterson finished with 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting and pulled down 11 rebounds as ASU won 73-70.
Arkansas State forward Brandon Peterson (15) shoots over St. Bonaventure defender Demitrius Conger during the first half of Saturday’s game in Jonesboro. Peterson finished with 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting and pulled down 11 rebounds as ASU won 73-70.

— A three pointer from senior Ed Townsel with 2.4 seconds to play gave Arkansas State a 73-70 victory over St. Bonaventure on Saturday afternoon in front of an announced crowd of 2,378 at the Convocation Center.

ASU (5-3) improved to 3-0 at home this season and ended a two-game losing streak.

A steal and layup by freshman guard Raeford Worsham tied the game at 70-70 with 41.3 seconds remaining. Following an ASU timeout, the Bonnies’ Chris Johnson missed a three point attempt with 11 seconds left and Townsel grabbed the defensive rebound. Townsel then dribbled into the right side of the St. Bonaventure front court and crossed over to the left where he pulled up from just left of the key from 24 feet out and made the game-winner. The Bonnies had the final possession following a timeout, but Demitrius Conger’s long jumper from the right wing hit off the rim as time expired.

The Red Wolves opened the game with a 13-4 lead through the first seven minutes and led 42-28 at halftime. ASU shot 59 percent from the floor in the first half while the Bonnies hit only 28 percent.

St. Bonaventure (5-3) cut the lead to 47-42 with 13:54 remaining. Charlon Kloof hit a three-pointer to tie the game at 56-56 with 7:49 left.

The teams exchanged the lead four times in the next two-plus minutes as the Bonnies took a 67-63 lead with 3:39 left. Townsel’s three-pointer at the 2:04 mark tied the game at 68-68.

Brandon Peterson and Worsham led the Red Wolves with 18 points each. Peterson added 13 rebounds. Rakeem Dickerson had 12 points.

Chris Johnson led St. Bonaventure with 19 points.

SOUTHLAND MEN CENTRAL ARKANSAS 88, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 85

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Robert Crawford scored 39 points and Central Arkansas held off Southeast Missouri at the Show Me Center.

Crawford shot 12 of 15 from the floor, including 7 of 9 from three-point range, and was 8 of 8 from the free-throw line. UCA (4-3) hit nine three-pointers.

LaQuentin Miles scored 18 points for UCA and Jarvis Garner had 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Southeast Missouri (6-6) led early in the in the second half and remained close after UCA took the lead.

A jumper by Marland Smith (Little Rock Hall) cut the Bears’ lead to 87-85 with 14 seconds left in the game, but a free throw by Garner with 6 seconds to go sealed the victory.

Tyler Stone led Southeast Missouri with 32 points, and Nino Johnson had 21 points, 16 rebounds and 4 blocked shots.

SWAC MEN AIR FORCE 65, ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF 49

AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. - Michael Lyons scored 26 points and Air Force used an 18-0 second-half run to beat Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

Lyons was 7 of 15 from the floor, including 3 three-pointers. Mike Fitzgerald added 13 points for the Falcons (7-2), and Taylor Broekhuis had six points and seven rebounds.

Davon Haynes had 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds for the Golden Lions (1-8), who scored the first 12 points of the game and led 31-25 at halftime. But after Tevin Hammond’s fast-break layup with 17:17 to play, UAPB didn’t score again until Haynes’ two free throws with 9:49 left.

By then, Air Force had scored 18 consecutive points - eight of them by Lyons - to lead 48-35. The Falcons cruised from there.

Air Force, which won’t play again until Dec. 22 at UC Riverside, remained unbeaten in six meetings with UAPB.

SBC/SOUTHLAND WOMEN

ARKANSAS STATE 58, CENTRAL ARKANSAS 51

JONESBORO - Arkansas State earned its first home victory, beating Central Arkansas in the teams’ first meeting since 1983.

Jane Morrill led the Red Wolves (2-6) with 13 points. Carlisha Wyatt scored all 10 of her points in the second half.

Megan Herbert finished with 18 points and nine rebounds for UCA (4-3), which committed 21 turnovers. Courtney Duever added eight points and a game high 13 rebounds. Desiree Rogers had seven points and 12 rebounds.

ASU led 24-23 at halftime and used a 6-0 run at the start of the second half to take a 30-23 lead. The Sugar Bears pulled within 40-37 with 10:23 remaining on Jameka Watkins’ three-pointer. ASU extended its lead to 52-39 with 5:36 left.

UCA lost senior guard Micah Rice to a knee injury in the first half. The Sugar Bears shot 34.3 percent (21 of 61) from the floor and made 2 of 14 from three point range (14.3 percent).

SWAC WOMEN MISSOURI 97, ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF 59

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Reserves Morgan Eye scored 19 points and Maddie Stock had 17 as Missouri handled Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Mizzou Arena.

The Tigers (8-2) outscored the Lady Lions’ bench 60-8.

UAPB (2-4) scored the first four points, but Missouri went on to take a 15-14 lead and led 41-24 at halftime.

Christina Lasane led the Lady Lions with 19 points. Wright Cassidy added 15.

Sports, Pages 26 on 12/09/2012

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