Box Score | NIT Bracket
JONESBORO, Ark. – Sun Belt Conference regular season co-champion and tournament runner-up Arkansas State collected its 25th win of the season with a 103-78 wire-to-wire victory over Saint Louis in the first round of the 2025 National Invitation Tournament (NIT) on Tuesday evening at First National Bank Arena.
The No. 3 seed in the Dallas Region, the Red Wolves (25-10) await the winner of second-seeded North Texas and Furman who face off Wednesday evening. Second round games will be played March 22-23.
Making its fifth NIT appearance in school history and first since 1991, Arkansas State’s win is the first by a Sun Belt team in the tournament since former league member UT-Arlington reached the third round in 2017.
A-State’s 103 points match a season high, establish a program record in the NIT and rank as the second most by a Sun Belt team in the tournament since UT-Arlington scored 105 in their first-round win in 2017. The Red Wolves shot 40-for-74 (.541) overall and 16-for-35 (.457) from 3-point range
Junior forward and All-Sun Belt Third Team selection Izaiyah Nelson led five Arkansas State scorers in double-figures with a 26-point, 10-rebound double-double on 12-for-16 shooting to go with four steals. All-Sun Belt First Team choice and senior guard Taryn Todd added 21 points, seven assists and four rebounds.
The Red Wolves scored 12-consecutive points as part of a 17-2 scoring run just over five minutes into the game. They held a double-digit lead until the Billikens pulled within eight points on three occasions – the last with 5:52 remaining in the first half.
Arkansas State continued to light up the scoreboard with a barrage of outside shots before building its largest lead of the period – 18 points – before taking a 50-37 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Four different Red Wolves scored at least 11 points in the first half, as they shot 20-for-36 (.556) as a team and 10-for-18 (.556) from 3-point range in the opening 20 minutes of action.
Arkansas State widened the margin beyond 20 points for the first time, 73-51, on a 3-pointer by senior forward Dyondre Dominguez with 12:55 left in the game. The advantage grew to as many as 30 points, 90-60, with 7:17 remaining.
Junior guard Derrian Ford finished with 15 points on 5-for-6 shooting – including 3-for-3 from beyond the arc – while redshirt sophomore guard Terrance Ford Jr. and redshirt senior forward Kobe Julien added 11 points apiece.
Saint Louis was led by center Robbie Avila’s 22 points and eight rebounds, as guard Amari McCottry registered a double-double comprising 20 points and 10 boards off the bench.