JONESBORO, Ark. - After trailing by six at halftime, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock men's basketball team couldn't withstand two Arkansas State second-half runs and fell 80-63 Tuesday night at First National Bank Arena in front of more than 5,000 fans.
ASU led 55-52 with 10:02 to play took control at that point and pushed the lead back to double figures for the second time in the half. A 10-0 run over the next two minutes put the Red Wolves in control as their lead grew to finish out the game.
Mwani Wilkinson was the only Trojan in double figures with 20. Creed Williamson added eight points and four rebounds.
Taryn Todd led ASU with 17 points and Kobe Julien added 16.
Little Rock trailed by 13 points with just over 15 minutes to play in the game, but quickly got back in it. The Trojans used a 7-0 spurt to cut the lead to 49-43 with Nikola Milosevic three. ASU pushed the lead to seven around the 12-minute mark, but Wilkinson's three-pointer made it 51-47 with 11:43 remaining.
Isaiah Lewis cut the Red Wolves' lead to three, 55-52 at the 10:02 mark but Little Rock couldn't get any closer and the lead grew to double figures again with 8:37 to play.
Little Rock kept it close in the first half as the lead swayed back and forth.
Williamson converted on a hook shot in the lane to give the Trojans a 20-17 lead with 8:42 in the half. A few minutes later Tuongthach Gatkek hit a jumper to give the Trojans a four-point advantage (22-18).
Julien tied the game on a layup at the 5:46 mark. A 5-0 run, that included a Joseph Pininon three-pointer gave the Red Wolves a 27-22 lead with 3:23 left.
ASU led by six at the 2:12 mark but Jordan Jefferson's floater cut the lead to 31-27. However, Taryn Todd's jumper moved the lead back to six, 33-27, with 44 seconds remaining, and that is where the score stood at halftime.
Little Rock's road swing continues 7 p.m. Saturday at the University of Texas-San Antonio.
