Greyhounds Avenge Earlier Loss with 86-72 Road Win on Valentine’s Day
EL DORADO, Ark. — ASU Mid-South made sure there would be no repeat of an earlier season loss, turning in a strong all-around performance to defeat South Arkansas College 86-72 on the road on Valentine's Day.
South Arkansas struck first, but the Greyhounds wasted little time settling in. ASU Mid-South responded quickly and, once taking the lead in the early moments of the game, never relinquished it for the remainder of the contest.
The Greyhounds controlled much of the first half, executing offensively while keeping the Stars from gaining consistent momentum. However, South Arkansas refused to fold on its home floor. A late push capped by a Carlos Escalera floater just before the buzzer brought the Stars within one point heading into halftime, setting the stage for a competitive second half.
Coming out of the break, ASU Mid-South elevated its play.
The Greyhounds pushed their advantage to double digits early in the second half, leaning on efficient shooting and strong ball movement to keep the Stars at bay. South Arkansas continued to fight, but every attempt to close the gap was met with timely responses from ASU Mid-South.
Clinging to a lead hovering around 10 points for much of the half, the Greyhounds delivered the decisive blow late. Randy Emerson knocked down back-to-back three-pointers to stretch the lead and effectively seal the victory.
Emerson led all scorers with 25 points, shooting an impressive 6-of-9 from beyond the arc. Hugh McFarland continued his dominant stretch, finishing with 19 points, 11 assists, and 7 rebounds, controlling the game on both ends of the floor. Jaxson Yancy added 13 points, while Phillip Tillman contributed 10 points and 8 rebounds in a balanced effort.
South Arkansas was led by Jaden Williams with 19 points. Treylan Neal recorded a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds, while Jaylin Robinson also scored 14. Escalera finished with 12 points, including his key bucket to close the first half.
After the game, the Greyhounds' head coach Cody Hastings emphasized the importance of the road win and his team's response after halftime.
"We know how tough it is to win on the road in this league, and I'm really proud of the way our guys responded in the second half," he said. "We stayed composed, executed when we needed to, and made big plays down the stretch."
With the win, ASU Mid-South improves to 19-7 overall and 12-3 in Region play as the regular season winds down.
"There's only three games left, and two of them are at home," Hastings added. "We've got to finish the regular season strong as we get ready for the Region Tournament."
The Greyhounds return home Monday, February 16, when they host Phillips Community College–UA. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.