Greyhounds outlast Pioneers for regional championship

Greyhounds outlast Pioneers for regional championship

Arkansas State University Mid-South outrebounded North Arkansas by 18 boards in the win

From Arkansas State University Mid-South

Seven Greyhound players scored in double figures as ASU Mid-South (25-5 overall) withstood 13 three-pointers from the visiting North Arkansas Pioneers (19-11) to take a convincing 109-89 victory Saturday at The Dog House to secure their second consecutive NJCAA Region 2 Championship.

North Arkansas jumped out to a 6-2 lead and led 14-11 with just over 13 minutes to play in the first half. But an offensive rebound tip-in by Kamron Rose gave the Greyhounds a lead they would not relinquish. ASU Mid-South led 51-40 at the half after the Pioneers hit a threepointer at the buzzer.

Keshaun Davis scored 13 of his 17 points, Rose totaled 10 of his 12 points and Geordan Reed scored all eight of his points in the first half.

The Pioneers would then start the second half with a 7-2 run, but the Greyhounds answered with a 20-6 run of their own and stretched the lead to as many as 24 points on the way to the win.

ASU Mid-South took a 57-35 rebounding advantage and forced 17 North Arkansas turnovers while committing only eight and shooting 45.8% from the field and hitting 27-of-36 free throws (75.0%) for the game.

Terrandus Smith led the Greyhounds with 18 points and seven rebounds while Trevor Banks also pulled down seven boards to go with his 10 points. K.J.

Patrick finished with 14 points and six rebounds, Montee Randle scored 11 to go with a team-high three steals, and Jerrick Cole hit for 10 points. Dee Montgomery and Terrikous Smith each dished out four assists.

The victory gives the Greyhounds' eight sophomores their second Region 2 Championship as all eight returned from a 2010 freshman campaign.

This is the first class in school history to earn back-to-back region titles and they also have collected the most victories in consecutive seasons.

ASU Mid-South (25-5) now advances to play in the NJCAA District XIII Championship where they will travel to Kansas City, Missouri, to take on host MCC-Penn Valley. The winner advances to the NJCAA Division II National Tournament in Danville, Illinois.

Meanwhile, the Lady Greyhounds (10-15) ended their season Saturday in the NJCAA Region 2 playoff, dropping a 76-68 decision to #8 North Arkansas College (18-6) in Harrison.

Trailing 33-24 at the half, ASU Mid-South just couldn't narrow the gap until outscoring the Lady Pioneers in the fourth quarter. The Lady Greyhounds won the battle of the boards 43-38 and shot 26-34 (76.5%) free throws to North Arkansas' 19-31 (61.3%), but 31% field goal shooting and 13 turnovers gave the home team the advantage.

Sable Greer led the Lady Greyhounds with 25 points, going 16-of-19 from the free throw line to go with six assists, three rebounds and two steals.

Alesha Penister finished with 15 points and six boards while Teiangula Boston notched her seventh double-double of the season with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

The Lady Greyhounds finish with a record of 1015 on the year and lose sophomores Summer Abram, Teiangula Boston, Sable Greer, De'Janice Hamilton, Alesha Penister, and Taylor Simmonsas well as Interim Head Coach Dwayne McCray.

ASU Mid-South gaurd Terrandus Smith slams home a basket. Smith led the Greyhounds in their victory over North Arkansas with 18 points and seven rebounds

Photo by Collins Peeples