Jonesboro, AR – Contributed – Arkansas State (27-9, 13-4 SBC), led by senior Wynter Rogers’ 20 points, defeated Cleveland State (26-11, 13-7 HL) in the WNIT Great 8 Monday night at First National Bank Arena.
Rogers went 9-for-14 from the field, hitting two of her three free throws, while also logging five rebounds and two assists.
Arkansas State shot 43 percent (29-of-68) on the night, and 33 percent from deep (10-of-30). The Red Wolves held Cleveland State to their second-lowest field goal percentage on the season (33 percent), only allowing 18 of their 54 shots to land, with the Vikings not making a three until four minutes left in the game, and finishing with 14 percent made (2-of-14). Zyion Shannon totaled 14 points and five rebounds, and Crislyn Rose led the team in assists (6) and rebounds (7).
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A-State swarmed early with the first seven points of the game, from a Wynter Rogers layup, a corner three from Allen, and a shot in the paint from Mimi McCollister. Cleveland State went to the free-throw line often, going 5-5 from the stripe, and only 1-13 from the field. Mia Tarver and Zyion Shannon drilled threes, and Bella Weary turned defense to offense, intercepting a passing lane and putting one up for the uncontested fastbreak layup. The Red Wolves held a 19-7 lead at the first quarter interval.
A slow second quarter for the Red Wolves, Cleveland State pounded the paint and worked the deficit down to seven by halftime, 30-23 at the half.
To open up the second half, the Vikings landed the first shot, but were quickly put on their back foot with a momentous four-minute, 15-point streak for Arkansas State, fueled by a seven-point streak from Shannon. A set of threes from Tarver and McCollister bumped the advantage out as far as 22 points for A-State.
Another six points from Rogers, as well as a triple from Aniyah Ruddock and Tarver in the fourth quarter, stymied any attempt from the Vikings to try a comeback, as the two squads traded buckets across the final few minutes.
Arkansas State advances to the Fab Four of the WNIT and will host Marshall on Wednesday, April 1, at 7 p.m.
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