Career highs from Gillard, Eaton and Boudie lead A-State past HSU
A-State Sports
Mark Taylor, Assistant Director for Media Relations
JONESBORO – Grantham Gillard, Marquis Eaton and Salif Boudie combined for 44 points off the bench to lead the Arkansas State men’s basketball team to a 90-76 victory over Henderson State Saturday at First National Bank Arena.
The trio all scored career highs with Gillard leading all scorers with 23 points. Eaton added 11 points and four assists while Boudie had 10 points and a team high seven rebounds. The win snapped a four game losing streak for A-State (3-6). Josh Jones paced Henderson State (4-5) with 16 points, one of four players in double figures.
A-State shot 54 percent (34-63) from the field and 9-of-20 (45 percent) beyond the arc compared to 45 percent (26-58) overall and 37 percent (7-19) from 3-point range for Henderson State. A-State held a 36-28 edge on the glass and outscored the Reddies 46-28 in the paint.
The Red Wolves struggled making 2-of-12 (17 percent) from the field while Henderson State opened 3-for-3 from 3-point range and 4-for-5 overall to build a seven point advantage, 13-6, with 14:28 left in the first half. A-State hit 14-of-21 (67 percent) to close the first 20 minutes and carried a 10-point lead to the break.
A 9-0 run over the last 2:14 of the first half saw the Red Wolves turn a one-point lead, 35-34, into a 44-34 lead at the half. Despite the hot start, the Reddies finished the half shooting 34 percent (11-32) and 5-of-16 (31 percent) from 3-point range.
The Red Wolves shot 49 percent (16-33) and 8-of-9 (89 percent) from the charity stripe. A-State held a 24-14 advantage on the glass and outscored the Reddies 20-12 in the paint. Gillard equaled his season best in the first half with 13 points while Salif Boudie had a season high seven over the first 20 minutes.
Henderson State was able to trim the Red Wolves advantage to seven, 48-41, but A-State did not allow the Reddies any closer for the remainder of the game. The Red Wolves hit 11-of-13 (85 percent) over a 10 minute stretch to see a 54-43 lead swell to 81-62 with 5:43 to play.
A-State finished the second half shooting 60 percent (18-30) overall and 56 percent (5-9) from 3-point range. The Reddies hit 58 percent (15-26) from the field and 67 percent (2-3) beyond the arc.