A 32-13 second-half run propelled the Arkansas State women’s basketball team to a 74-55 victory over Texas State on Saturday afternoon at the Convocation Center in Jonesboro.
The victory gave the Red Wolves (18-9, 12-3) a 2 1/2 game lead in the Sun Belt Conference standings over UALR, Texas State (12-13, 9-5) and Western Kentucky.
Four players scored at least 10 points to lead the Red Wolves, including a game-high 24 points from sophomore guard Aundrea Gamble. She also added a game-high eight rebounds, while senior forward Jane Morrill scored 17 points on 8-of-17 shooting. Jalen O’Bannon and Brittney Gill scored 10 points.
Arkansas State led 31-19 at halftime, but the Bobcats scored on seven consecutive possessions to start the second half to cut the lead to 37-34 with 15:43 to go. However, ASU outscored Texas State 32-13 to take a 69-47 lead with 3:17 to go.
The stretch started with an 8-0 run after Texas State pulled within three points to go up 45-34. The lead never got closer than nine points after that and grew to as large as 22 points with just over three minutes to go in the game.
After playing just 11 minutes in the first half due to foul trouble, Gamble responded in the second half by scoring 14 points and grabbing four rebounds in the final 20 minutes. She went 6-of-8 from the field in the second half and scored at least 20 points for the 12th time this season, improving the Red Wolves’ record to 10-3 in games in which she scores at least 20.
Sports, Pages 32 on 02/23/2014