NEW ORLEANS - Arkansas State’s women’s team didn’t break 100 points or beat Louisiana-Monroe by 50 like it did a week ago, but the Red Wolves did all they needed to do Wednesday in the first round of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament.
Jalen O’Bannon scored a season-high 21 points and helped No. 1 seed ASU overwhelm Louisiana-Monroe for an eight-minute stretch that spanned both halves as the Red Wolves held on for a 78-69 victory at Lakefront Arena.
It might not have been as sharp or as crisp as ASU’s 107-57 victory over the Warhawks on March 5, but Coach Brian Boyer was satisfied with advancing to a semifinal match up against Texas State at noon Friday.
“This team has had an ability to buckle down all year long,” Boyer said. “We did it again today.”
ASU didn’t begin to establish control until the final four minutes of the first half.
ASU looked nervous early, settling for unsuccessful shots from the perimeter and routinely letting Louisiana-Monroe (21-11) slip inside for easy baskets. After ASU took a 16-8 lead six minutes into the game, Louisiana-Monroe (11-20) went on an 18-8 run over nine minutes to go up 26-24 with 4:18 left in the first half.
“I thought we kind of had a mentality that we really just wanted them to go away, and they didn’t want to go away,” Boyer said.
ASU created all the space it needed closing out the first half.
Sun Belt Player of the Year Aundrea Gamble scored three consecutive baskets, including two set up by long rebounds that turned into breakaway layups that gave ASU a 30-26 lead. Gamble scored on a layup in the final minute, then Jane Morrill closed the half with a jumper to give the Red Wolves a 36-31 lead going into halftime.
“When you lead at the half, I don’t know, it’s just something about it,” O’Bannon said. “It pumps you up. You want to keep that lead.”
The Red Wolves never gave it up in the second half. Gamble, who had 15 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists, began driving to the basket and found O’Bannon, Morrill and Carlisha Wyatt for easy baskets inside and trips to the free-throw line. The Red Wolves shot 52 percent from the floor for the game, and made 17 of 22 free throws in the second half.
Wyatt scored inside and ASU made 6 of 7 shots in the opening four minutes of the second half to take a 46-35 lead. The Red Wolves extended the lead to 52-39 after Hanna Qedan’s three-pointer from the corner with 14:43 left, and led by nine or more points the rest of the game.
“We basically had to stop settling,” Gamble said. “We took too many perimeter shots. We knew that if we didn’t get the ball inside, we weren’t going to win.”
Louisiana-Monroe senior forward Ashleigh Simmons, a first-team All-Sun Belt selection, was held to five points before fouling out while dealing with a shoulder injury. She didn’t make her first basket until less than five minutes remained in the game as ASU focused on slowing her.
“This was probably the worst nights she’s had in two years,” Warhawks Coach Mona Martin said. “She’s still a good player … but I wish she would have played tonight.”
ASU advanced to Friday’s semifinal, which has proved to be a tall hurdle for the Red Wolves. ASU hasn’t advanced to the Sun Belt Tournament final since losing to Western Kentucky in 1992. Since then, ASU has lost 13 times in the semifinals, including seven times since Boyer took over as coach in 2000.
“The first game is always nerves,” Gamble said. “I think from here on out, I think it’ll be better. I think we were able to play through that. We’re ready for the next game.”
Sports, Pages 19 on 03/13/2014