Jonesboro, AR – Contributed – Arkansas State (26-9, 13-4 SBC) tied a program record and set a WNIT record with 20 threes made in the 83-72 victory over Purdue Fort Wayne (21-14, 12-8 HL) Friday afternoon at First National Bank Arena.
Arkansas State shot 47 percent from three (20-of-43), the highest of the season, and landed 48 percent of their total shots (29-of-61). Fort Wayne landed 24-of-55 shots (44 percent) and five of their 23 tries from three (22 percent). Aniyah Ruddock led the team with 21 points on seven made threes. Zyion Shannon also finished with five threes made and 18 total points.
The Red Wolves exploded after tip-off, hitting five triples within the opening three minutes to take a quick 15-2 lead and continued the hot streak throughout the quarter, landing 10 total field goals from beyond the arc. Six different Red Wolves struck from deep, with Zyion Shannon making all three tries and Payton Fields and Aniyah Ruddock both hitting a pair. A-State found 10 of their 13 total attempts and held a 32-22 advantage heading into the second quarter.
Another hot start in the second inning, Shannon and Ruddock both hit threes as A-State set off a 10-2 lead, with Ruddock hitting three total from deep. Fields landed a triple in the final minute, and Shannon converted a steal into a layup in the closing seconds. The Red Wolves entered the half with a 55-32 lead.
A-State followed Fort Wayne beat-for-beat, landing another four threes, each from a different player. Both teams scored 17 points, with A-State pushing the lead as high as 26 thanks to a three from Bella Weary, followed up with a layup through contact off a steal and an and-one free throw.
The Mastodons hit the free throw line often in the fourth quarter, scoring 11 of their 15 points in the first five minutes of the quarter at the stripe, with a Crislyn Rose layup being the only breakup in Fort Wayne’s scoring. The Mastodons closed the difference to just 10, but a Ruddock three and a Rose foul-drawn layup added six in a row for Arkansas State to keep Fort Wayne out of reach.
Arkansas State advances to the Great Eight of the WNIT and will host Cleveland State Monday, March 30, at 7 p.m