DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Five Red Wolves scored in double figures as Arkansas State defeated Bethune-Cookman, 86-85, in the first round of the 2024 Ro College Basketball Invitational (CBI) on Saturday afternoon at the Ocean Center.
 
Arkansas State’s (19-16) second round matchup will tip at 1 p.m. CT on Monday, March 25 against the winner of Sunday’s contest between No. 5 seed Montana and No. 12 seed Presbyterian.
 
Junior guard Freddy Hicks led all players with 21 points and nine rebounds on 8-for-15 shooting, while senior guard Caleb Fields compiled 16 points, six boards and six assists. Sophomore forward Izaiyah Nelson tallied 12 points, eight rebounds, five blocks and two steals, as sophomore guard Derrian Ford chipped in 12 points and junior guard Taryn Todd added 10 more.
 
The Red Wolves shot 30-for-57 (.526) overall, 3-for-12 (.250) beyond the 3-point line and 23-for-37 (.622) at the free throw line to complement a 41-28 rebounding advantage.
 
Arkansas State built its largest lead of the day – nine points – on multiple occasions in the first half with the first coming on a Dyondre Dominguez 3-pointer with 9:51 remaining and the second on a Dominguez dunk exactly two minutes later to create a 28-19 advantage.
 
Bethune-Cookman trimmed its deficit to three, 38-35, with six-straight points capped by a layup with 51 seconds left, but a second-chance basket by the Red Wolves just before the halftime buzzer sounded gave them a five-point edge heading into the locker room.
 
Arkansas State grew the margin back to nine points twice more in the second half, including a 74-65 lead after a Hicks layup with 7:55 left. The Wildcats made their move with a 12-2 scoring run to pull in front, 77-76, with 4:02 remaining, marking the first of five lead changes inside game’s final stretch.
 
Bethune-Cookman made a second chance trey with 1:37 left to pull ahead, 83-82, but consecutive baskets by Ford and Hicks inside the final minute gave the Red Wolves the lead for good.

Arkansas State shot 15-for-22 (.682) from the field and 15-for-23 (.652) at the foul stripe in the second half.
 
Bethune-Cookman was led by Jakobi Heady’s 19 points and five rebounds, as Derrick Carter-Hollinger Jr. added 15 points off the bench.