ASU v Lyon College

Arkansas State vs. Lyon College (Game #2 Game Notes)
Radio: 95.9 FM “The Wolf” ASRN
Video available via AStateRedWolves.com
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November 17 Jonesboro, Ark. ASU Convocation Center (10,038) 7:05 p.m.

TIPPING IT OFF: The Arkansas State Red Wolves will battle Lyon College in its regular-season home-opener Monday (Nov. 17) at 7:05 p.m. at the ASU Convocation Center. It is the first of two straight games for the Red Wolves at home, ASU next welcomes Murray State to the Convo on Nov. 19 at 7:05 p.m.
SERIES VERSUS LYON COLLEGE: ASU holds a commanding 33-17 lead against Lyon College in the all-time series. In their last meeting Arkansas State won a 87-51 decision over the Scots at the ASU Convocation Center during the 2006-07 season.
THE PRINCIPALS: The Arkansas State Red Wolves are 0-1 after dropping its season opener to SEC opponent Ole Miss last Friday in Oxford, Miss. Senior forward Shawn Morgan led the Red Wolves with 13 points, while freshman Daniel Bryant came off the bench at the point guard position and scored seven points with six rebounds for ASU. Junior Eric McKinney pulled down eight rebounds, had two blocks and contributed six points while JeJuan Brown, Larry Handy and Donald Boone also poured in six points each. Lyon College stands at 4-1 so far this season and after five games has played one exhibition con-*test*-('") with ASU marking the second. Michael Throesch leads the Scots with a 15.6 scoring average. He has appeared in all five con-*test*-('")s for Lyon and has started in two. Preston Butts leads the Scots with 6.8 rebounds per game, while averaging 8.0 points per con-*test*-('").

COMMON OPPONENTS: ASU and Lyon College share two common opponents Murray State and Central Baptist College. ASU faces the Racers on Wed. and battled Central Baptist on Dec. 4. Both Games will be at the ASU Convocation Center. Lyon fell to Murray State in its first exhibition con-*test*-('") 84-46.
OLE MISS GAME: (11/14/08) – Ole Miss’ David Huertas poured in 24 points to lead the Rebels against the Arkansas State Red Wolves, 65-52, in ASU’s season opener last Friday at the Tad Smith Coliseum.
ASU had trouble converting its shots, hitting only 35 percent (21-60) from the floor for the game and scoring only one three point basket (1-12/8.3%) in the game.
Several reserves saw a lot of first-half action due to starters Ifeanyi Koggu and JeJuan Brown getting into early foul trouble. ASU had the lead at the half, 27-24, and led by as many as seven points in the first frame.
ASU was 10-28 from the floor in the first half and was 7-10 from the free throw line. Both teams were 0-7 from the three-point line at the half.
Junior transfer Donald Boone led the Red Wolves in the first half with six points, Brown and Koggu had three rebounds each in the first period.
Huertas closed the gap for the Rebels when he scored three straight free throws only eight seconds into the second half.
ASU took the lead just once more on a jumper by Brown at the 17:52 mark of the second half.
Senior Shawn Morgan led the Red Wolves with 13 points, while junior Eric McKinney led the team with eight rebounds, including three offensive boards.
ASU outrebounded the Rebels 43-42, while the Red Wolves bench poured in 25 points to the Rebels 10.
Freshman reserve point guard Daniel Bryant played 18 minutes for the Red Wolves, contributing seven points, six rebounds and five assists. Brown, McKinney, senior Larry Handy and Boone recorded six points each for the Red Wolves.
SCORING LEADERS: Senior Shawn Morgan led ASU in its season opener with 13 points. Freshman Daniel Bryant was second on the team with seven points while JeJuan Brown, Eric McKinney, Donald Boone and Larry Handy each had six points.
BENCH PRODUCTION: ASU got decent support from its bench against Ole Miss. All five players coming off the bench scored two or more points, led by Bryant with seven. ASU’s bench outscored the Rebels 25-10.
BLOCKING SHOTS: The Red Wolves notched four blocked shots in its game against Ole Miss last Friday. Eric McKinney led the team with two while Morgan and P.J. Keaton each had one block.
THE RED WOLVES AT HOME: Over the 21 years that ASU has competed in the ASU Convocation Center, the Red Wolves have compiled a 204-78 record (.723). Arkansas State has gone undefeated twice during a single season at the Convocation Center; they were a perfect 14-0 in 1988-89 and went 13-0 in 1990-91.
NEWCOMERS SHINE: ASU got some great production from its newcomers in its season opener at Ole Miss. Junior Eric McKinney had six points and eight rebounds with two blocked shots. Freshman Daniel Bryant had seven points, six rebounds and five assists. Juniors Donald Boone and JeJuan Brown each had six points, Brown pulled down six rebounds and had two assists, while Boone had four rebounds.
MULTIPLE THREATS: ASU had six players score in double-figures during its exhibition outings. Morgan, Chia-Kur, Koggu and Boone scored double-figures during the Henderson State exhibition, while Brown and McKinney scored in double-figures against Southern Arkansas.
PRESEASON COACHES POLL: ASU has been tabbed to finish fourth in the West Division of the Sun Belt Conference by the SBC Preseason Coaches’ Poll announced by the league office at the SBC Basketball Tip-Off.
“I’ve never put a lot of stock in preseason polls; most of the polling is based on what you did the year before. It is a position better than where the team finished a year ago, but the reality of it is it isn’t really where you start its how you finish,” said ASU head coach John Brady. “I anticipate our team playing its best basketball in February and the first of March.”
UALR was picked to finish in a tie with North Texas for the top spot in the West Division, each receiving 76 points. The Trojans received six first-place votes while the Mean Green got four first-place nods. Louisiana-Lafayette was picked third, followed by the Red Wolves, Louisiana-Monroe was tabbed sixth with Denver and New Orleans coming in sixth and seventh, respectively.
Middle Tennessee was picked atop the East Division with 11 first-place votes, followed by South Alabama, which netted the other two first place votes. Reigning league champion Western Kentucky was picked third with Florida Atlantic (fourth), Florida International (fifth) and Troy (sixth) rounding out the poll.
Desmond Yates from Middle Tennessee was voted the SBC Preseason Player of the Year and was joined by Carlos Monroe from FAU, Russell Hicks from FIU, Josh White from North Texas and Brandon Davis from South Alabama on the Preseason All-SBC first team.
ASU’S BROWN NAMED BLUE RIBBON SBC NEWCOMER OF YEAR: Arkansas State junior forward and Los Angeles Southwest College transfer JeJuan Brown has been tabbed the Preseason Sun Belt Conference Newcomer of the Year by Blue Ribbon publications.
Along with forward Eric McKinney, Brown was announced as new ASU Head Coach John Brady’s first signee at Arkansas State on April 25. Brown transferred from Vanderbilt to LASC for his sophomore season, where he averaged 17 points and seven rebounds. He helped lead the Cougars to a 23-9 record and the South Coast Conference regular-season title and was named a first team all-conference selection in 2007-08.
“We are excited about the possibilities JeJuan brings to our team,” said Brady. “We feel he will be an outstanding player for us.”
The Biloxi, Miss. native originally signed with Vanderbilt out of high school, playing in all 34 games as a true freshman on a team that advanced to the Sweet 16. Brown averaged 3.1 points and 2.5 rebounds in 13.3 minutes per game during his lone season with the Commodores, while scoring his SEC-high nine points on 4-of-6 shooting with four rebounds and two assists at South Carolina. He posted season highs of 10 points (twice) and eight rebounds and finished the 2006-07 campaign with a .511 (48-of-94) shooting percentage.
Brown finished his prep career as an all-state and all-district selection at Biloxi High School and was a Rivals.com national top 150 (No. 121) ranked player in the class of 2006. He was ranked as the 26th-best small forward in the nation by Rivals.com as well. He was named the Sun Herald Gulf Coast Player of the Year after averaging 18 points, 10 rebounds, four blocked shots and three assists as a senior. He helped lead Biloxi to four District 8 titles from 2003-06 and graduated with honors as a Mississippi Scholar.
FINN SIDELINED 6-8 WEEKS: ASU head men’s basketball coach John Brady has disclosed that the Red Wolves will be without the services of freshman Trey Finn for the beginning of the season and possibly longer due to a foot injury he sustained during a conditioning workout this past week.
“It is unfortunate that Trey has had this injury occur. He was making real progress in his preparation for the beginning of practice and I was excited about the possibilities he would bring to the team,” said ASU head coach John Brady. “We have talked with the doctors, trainers, and of course his parents and will make a determination on his freshman year once he is completely healed. Whichever decision is made, Trey will have an excellent career at Arkansas State.”
Finn will be out 6-8 weeks and the Red Wolves are looking at the possibility of redshirting the freshman standout that joined the Red Wolves from Parkview High School in Little Rock.
At Parkview, Finn earned AHSAA Class 6A All-State honors in 2007-08. He also led Parkview to the state semifinals and was named to the All-Tournament team as a senior.
CHANGES AT THE CONVO: During the offseason, the Clopton Clinic Strength and Conditioning room was unveiled at a ceremony in the Convocation Center. The strength and conditioning room used by the Red Wolves features new weights, lighting, floor and wall coverings and entrance doors. Also completed during the offseason was the resurfacing and repainting of the Convocation Center playing court. The court now features the new RedWolves logo and a large “stAte” logo at center court.
HEAD COACH JOHN BRADY: With a Final Four appearance and 281 career victories already to his credit, John Brady was announced as Arkansas State’s 15th head men’s basketball coach by Director of Athletics Dr. Dean Lee at a press conference on March 18 held in ASU’s Convocation Center.
Brady spent the last 10-plus seasons serving as LSU’s head coach, leading the Tigers to six postseason berths, two SEC championships and three SEC Western Division titles. Twice named the SEC Coach of the Year, Brady is a proven winner who brings a well-documented record of success and a long list of accomplishments with him to Arkansas State.
Brady’s 16-year tenure as a head coach at both LSU and Samford in Birmingham, Alabama, has been decorated with achievements. He has coached a combined 25 All-TAAC and SEC selections, 48 academic all-conference choices, posted 11 winning seasons and collected five division championships. Brady piled up the third most wins in LSU history with 192 and left Samford after the 1996-97 season as the Bulldog’s all-time leader in coaching victories (89) as well.
He quickly turned around an LSU’s men’s basketball program that had suffered four consecutive losing seasons prior to his arrival, leading the Tigers to a 28-6 record, an SEC championship and an NCAA Sweet 16 appearance in just his third season (1999-00) at the helm. Under Brady’s direction, the Tigers recorded six consecutive winning seasons from 2001-02 to 2006-07 while making three trips to the NCAA Tournament and two more to the NIT. The 2005-06 campaign saw LSU post a 27-9 record and advance to the Final Four for the first time in 20 years.
Not only did Brady coach the Tigers to 23 wins versus ranked opponents, he also led them to victories over two teams ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press Poll (Arizona in 2002-03 and Duke in 2005-06). Additionally, he orchestrated a 19-game home winning streak over SEC opponents, the third longest stretch in LSU history.
While at LSU, Brady coached two NBA Lottery picks and six current NBA players. The Tigers signed nine Parade All-Americans and four McDonald All-Americans under Brady, who also coached three SEC Players of the Year, four players named SEC Freshman of the Year, one SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year and 17 All-SEC selections.
Prior to taking over the reigns at LSU, Brady served as Samford’s head coach from 1991-92 through 1996-97. It didn’t take long for him to turn around a Samford program coming off six straight losing seasons, either, guiding the Bulldogs to a 17-10 record in his second season. He led Samford to three straight winning seasons (1995-97) for the first time since 1982-84, all leading up to a 19-9 record and division title in 1997. Samford won the TAAC West Division each of Brady’s final two seasons at the school for the first time in school history.
His four winning campaigns at Samford were the first for any coach at the school, and he led the Bulldogs to an 89-77 record after they went 27-83 the four seasons prior to his initial year. He coached eight All-TAAC and 14 Academic All-TAAC players over six seasons.
The McComb, Miss., native earned his bachelor’s degree in 1976 from Belhaven College, where he was three-year starter and scored over 1,000 points during his college playing career. Brady was a two-time All-Southern States Conference selection and was later inducted into his alma mater’s Hall of Fame.
He got his coaching start as a graduate assistant with the Mississippi State men’s basketball program while earning his master’s degree from 1976-77. Brady took his first head coaching position in Louisiana at Crowley High School in 1977 and led the basketball squad to a 129-49 (.725) record in five seasons. He was named the 1981 Louisiana Sports Writers Association Class 3-A Coach of the Year.
Brady returned to the college coaching ranks in 1982 as an assistant coach at Mississippi State. He spent the next eight years with the Bulldogs, the first four seasons under coach Bob Hoyt and the next four as a chief recruiter for coach Richard Williams. Following his tenure in Starkville, Brady returned to Louisiana for the second time, this time to serve as an assistant coach at the University of New Orleans. Brady helped lead UNO to the NCAA Tournament during his only season with the Privateers.
ASU’S DOLLAR NAMED TOP-10 MID-MAJOR ASSISTANTS IN NATION: Fox Sports recently polled head coaches, assistants and others who deal with assistants on a daily basis to get their take on who should be included among the nation’s elite assistant basketball coaches and Arkansas State associate head coach Chad Dollar was included among the top-10 mid-major coaches receiving votes.
The article, written by FOXSports.com senior college basketball writer Jeff Goodman, stated Fox Sports wanted to “target the guys that instill a level of fear into their colleagues when they stroll into the gym”.
The article included a few brief notes on each coach and listed some of their “key recruits”. Included among the key recruits listed for Dollar were Jarvis Hayes and Elton Nesbitt. Hayes was the Southern Conference Freshman of the Year at Western Carolina and Nesbitt the league’s player of the year and an honorable mention All-America selection at Georgia Southern.