MBB vs Arkansas stAte, Friday, March 1, 2024, 6:30 p.m., ESPN+, Holmes Sweet Holmes, finale, #1 Defense v #1 Offense

[T-Dog]

That was as relaxing as a title-clinching game could be. Remember last Thursday when a second-half 19-2 run put the game away in Norfolk? Well this time the Apps started the game on a 19-2 run and it never got closer than 15. That was fun.

The postgame was surprisingly business-like. No big celebration for winning at-least-a-share-of the Sun Belt regular season title. Kerns said he wants the outright title before celebrating. That entails one more step: Winning the home finale on Friday night. And that entails playing a first-time foe this season, those damn Red Wolves who are so hot right now.

First-year head coach Bryan Hodgson and his gigantic evil eyebrows can claim success as a strong finish, including two wins over Troy in a week, have the Red Wolves stamped in as 4th place and a double-bye recipient. They've won six in a row and eight of their last nine . And that one loss was by 4 to JMU in Jonesboro.

How are Arkansas State doing this? Red and black team simply shoot ball into basket

In Sun Belt play, the Red Wolves are averaging 82.5 points per game, tops in the league (App is 5th at 76.2 PPG). Defensively, App is tops at 65.9 PPG allowed, while the Red Wolves are 11th at 76.7 PPG allowed.

Hogdson comes from the Nate Oaks School for Coaches Who Want Players To Shoot The Ball From Three Alot And Do Other Basketball Things Good Too. Arkansas State has made 295 threes this season (9.8 a game), more than anyone else in the Sun Belt. They've also attempted 833 threes, more than even Marshall. That 35.4% is second-best in the Sun Belt behind JMU, while App is 7th at 203 for 608 (33.4%).

Rebounding is middle of the road, although they get a good deal of offensive rebounds (teams who shoot a lot of 3's tend to do). Arkansas State is 3rd in blocked shots (4.57 a game) and 2nd in assists (14.93 a game).

Arkansas State have five players averaging double figures a game (all with 2.4 PPG of each otheR), four of those being guards. Caleb Fields is the best player, as he gets six assists a game. Taryn Todd is the leading scorer, but not by much over Fields. Dyondre Dominguez is the main forward, who along with Izaiyah Nelson is gonna have a chore down low. The only big negative for A-State is that they only really uses seven guys in their main rotation right now.

Simple put, this won't be easy. Arkansas State is peaking at the right time. Definitely a March team that could do some damage. This could be a semifinal preview, if everything goes right on Quarterfinal Saturday for both teams.

It would suck to lose the final home game after such a stellar campaign. This team is worth celebrating, and hopefully there's a celebration on Friday. You should be a part of it. Be there.

[BambooRdApp]

App by 7.

[hapapp]

This is the kind of team that can cause problems for us. They're quick and shoot from the outside, neutralizing some of our defensive strength. I can see some matchup problems for us on defense. A matchup of the league's best offense v. the league's best defense. Should be a good one.

[MrCraig]

This is the kind of team that can cause problems for us. They're quick and shoot from the outside, neutralizing some of our defensive strength. I can see some matchup problems for us on defense. A matchup of the league's best offense v. the league's best defense. Should be a good one.

The positive is that usually the team with the better defense wins, even in basketball. And App pretty much always has the depth advantage.

[biggie]

Does ArkSt take it easy since they have 4 seed wrapped up and can't improve?

[Saint3333]

If I’m Ark St I’d try a lot of new things to prep for the semis.

[chiefsfan]

Does ArkSt take it easy since they have 4 seed wrapped up and can't improve?

Unsure. Both of our top players in Caleb Fields and Izayah Nelson are banged up right now and could use a rest. Fields has been playing with a pulled Groin for a couple weeks. In every sense of the word, he needs a rest, but he's also a Senior who holds most of our school records now, and probably isn't going to sit.

I think everyone plays, but zero chances will be taken with health, so players who come up hobbled during the game likely sit the rest of the game out.

I think the interesting thing is more how we look at our strategy going in knowing we're potentially playing you guys again 9 days later. We had a week turnaround between the two Troy meetings, and while we didn't change our strategy much, Troy completely ripped up their original gameplan and tried a new one. It worked somewhat, but the mitigating effect is we were down our top 3-point shooter for that game, so we were less effective from behind the arc overall.

We have a habit of taking time to adjust to what teams are doing against us, so I wouldn't be completely surprised if we lost this one and then looked much better in a potential rematch in Pensacola.

[biggie]

[biggie]

Just found out I could make the game and then neighbor's death in the family needed my daughter to watch after their dogs so at home I'll be.

[9Steelman]

Just found out Yosef Club room will be open for Friday’s game

[RaleighApp27609]

Any estimates regarding attendance for tomorrow night? I purchased a couple of tickets last night and saw that there were only two sections left with many spots open. The other sections were completely full or had limited seats available.

[ggasu]

Take care of business and JMU will be 28-3 and be in SECOND place ….That has to be most wins for a team that did not win their conference

Football and Basketball they are a combined 39-1 in the regular season, without playing the Mountaineers. They must really hate us

[appgrad2010]

Just found out Yosef Club room will be open for Friday’s game

Really? Someone told me it would be closed who has access every game.

[chiefsfan]

This is the kind of team that can cause problems for us. They're quick and shoot from the outside, neutralizing some of our defensive strength. I can see some matchup problems for us on defense. A matchup of the league's best offense v. the league's best defense. Should be a good one.

We certainly cause unique problems for teams. So many of our early struggles this year revolved around bigs getting into foul trouble quickly, and a lack of a true PF. We got our planned 4 before the year in Freddy Hicks, who was preseason all-league back from injury right after the JMU loss. Defense has improved fairly remarkably since he came back. Nelson also spent a lot of time working on how to avoid fouls inside.

Our major weakness remains dealing with teams with aggressive bigs that challenge us physically. ULL beat us twice using that strategy. South also did it against us last week, but we seemed to have adapted more and were fine letting him get his and shutting down the remainder of their lineup. We also sometimes struggle defensively to recognize the hot hand quickly, and can fall into strange defensive lapses where teams hit 3 or 4 3's in a few minute span before adjustments are made.

Like any team that shoots a ton of 3's, we're prone to cold spells from behind the arc. We only hit 20 percent from distance against Coastal yesterday. Early in the season, that likely turns the game into a game we're fighting to not lose, but yesterday we led by 15-20 points for virtually the entire 2nd half and never were threatened.

But, like it or not you guys are a very different test from Troy even. We've struggled with good defensive teams at times early in the year, and Friday provides a chance to show what progress has been made, even if winning in Boone is insanely difficult.

[chiefsfan]

Also, TDog, we run an 8-10 man rotation now. I think you are missing Hicks, who missed most of the season to injury but returned two weeks ago. He now starts in place of Dominguez, Dominguez, Julian Lual, and Avery Felts come off the bench regularly. Every single one of those 8 players has had multiple double digit point games this season.

[NattyBumppo'sRevenge]

Got to be tough to play in filthy Conway and then have to play up in the beautiful mountains two days later. Arkansas State is as hot as us right now, but we at least have the advantage of being 9 deep and having a home stand.

[appgrad95&97]

I still can't believe we could win Friday, have an outright regular season conference championship, end the season at 26-5 and not be a lock for the NIT.

[chiefsfan]

Got to be tough to play in filthy Conway and then have to play up in the beautiful mountains two days later. Arkansas State is as hot as us right now, but we at least have the advantage of being 9 deep and having a home stand.

Its the toughest possible road trip in the conference. One game at sea level in Coastal's gym which has wonky depth perception that gets worse when you consider you are playing a team in teal colors, on a teal-colored floor in front of empty, teal-colored seats. Then a 330 mile trip up into the mountains to play a game at 3333 feet above sea level less than 48 hours later.

[canes_mj]

This team is worth celebrating, and hopefully there's a celebration on Friday. You should be a part of it. Be there.

Planning to be...was waiting on weather forecast; today, I sold my Saturday Canes tickets, got clearance from the wife for a half-day of school for my oldest son for a special occasion....then up to Boone.

[Bootsy]

ODU was extremely productive shooting the three last night. Given how effective StAte is from the arc, I’m a little itchy about tmrw night.