JONESBORO - Arkansas State slowed the nation’s leading scorer and found other offensive production when its own leading scorer was limited Monday night.
Melvin Johnson III was held to a season-low 7 points, but Kendrick Washington had 16 and Brandon Reed added 15 as the Red Wolves pulled away from Niagara for a 86-61 victory at the Convocation Center.
The Red Wolves (5-2) won their third consecutive game after building a 21-point lead and holding off a Niagara rally.
ASU was held scoreless through the first three minutes of the second half until Washington’s hook shot that made it 51-37.
Niagara (1-7) chipped away at the lead and got as close as 60-51 with less than 8 minutes left before Raeford Worsham made two free throws to start an 11-1 run capped by Washington’s basket inside that made it 71-52 with 3:50 left.
Worsham finished with 14 points.
Mason had scored 31 or more points in six of Niagara’s seven games this season and entered averaging a Division I-best 31.6 points. But he was held to a season-low 20 points on 6 of 17 shooting and had only seven points in the second half.
SOUTHLAND WOMEN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 39, CENTRAL ARKANSAS 37
Southern Illinois (1-5) won its first game of the season, holding off the Sugar Bears (5-2) on Monday night at the Farris Center in Conway.
After Cartesha Macklin made two free throws to put the Salukis up 38-33, Central Arkansas’ Courtney Deuver and Maggie Proffitt each made a layup to close the margin to 38-37. Macklin made 1 of 2 free throws to set the final margin.
Azia Washington and Macklin led the Salukis with 10 points each. Micah Rice, Proffitt and Brittany Agee each had eight points to lead the Sugar Bears.
Sports, Pages 24 on 12/03/2013