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JONESBORO, Ark. – The Ohio men's basketball team (13-11) returned to action Saturday afternoon (Feb. 10), falling to Arkansas Sate (11-14), 100-87, in the second round of the MAC-SBC Challenge inside First National Bank Arena. 
 
Overall, Ohio shot 52 percent from the field, 46 percent from three and were 10-of-11 from the line, while Arkansas State shot 64 percent from the field, 50 percent from three and were 15-of-18 from the line. ASU out-rebounded the Bobcats, 31-21 and dished out 18 assists to Ohio's 15. ASU also scored 52 points in the paint and forced Ohio to tun the ball over nine times scoring 17 points off them. 
 
Individually, senior guard Jaylin Hunter (Manchester, Conn.) led Ohio with 20 points, eight assists and four rebounds, while sophomore guard Ajay Sheldon (Dublin, Ohio) recorded a career-high 17 points, going 5-of-8 from three and 2-of-2 from the line. Junior forward AJ Clayton (Roseville, Ohio) added 13 points and five rebounds, while fifth year Miles Brown (Rochester, N.Y.) added 11 points, while sophomore forward Aidan Hadaway (Lafayette, Ga.) scored 10 points and three rebounds. 
 
Ohio opened the game on a 6-0 run with Hadaway recording all six points. Moments later, Arkansas State responded with a 7-0 run to take the lead. After Hadaway stopped the run with another layup, the Red Wolves hit a three to take a 10-8 lead into the first media timeout. Out of the timeout, the two teams traded baskets before two threes from Sheldon and another from sophomore forward Ike Cornish (Baltimore, Md.) gave the Bobcats a 21-18 lead with 10:41 to go in the first half. Two more threes from Sheldon and Cornish put Ohio up nine, however, Arkansas State went on a 6-0 run to cut the Bobcats lead to three entering the under-eight media timeout. 
 
Out of the timeout, the Red Wolves tied the game with a three, before back-to-back-Ohio turnovers led to four more points for Arkansas State, forcing Ohio to burn a timeout trailing 31-27. The two teams traded baskets out of the timeout, with a three from Hunter cutting the Ohio deficit to four. However, Arkansas State matched it, putting the Red Wolves up seven going into the final media timeout of the half. 
 
Arkansas State went on to hit another three and another jumper before the end of the half, giving the Red Wolves the 51-39 lead entering halftime.
 
At the half, Ohio shot 48 percent from the field, 43 percent from three and were 3-of-3 from the line, while ASU shot 63 percent from the field, 57 percent from three and were 5-of-7 from the line. ASU put-rebounded Ohio 16-11, while the Bobcats also turned the ball over seven times, allowing ASU to score 13 points off them. 
 
Individually, Sheldon led Ohio with nine points, followed by Hadaway with eight and Cornish with six.
 
Ohio opened the second half with a three from Clayton and a layup from Hunter, cutting the Ohio deficit down to seven, until ASU went on a 10-2 run to take a 15-point lead, forcing Ohio to burn a timeout with 16:06 to go. Out of the timeout, Sheldon's fourth three of night stopped the ASU run, however, Ohio was unable to generate many stops, going into the under-12 media timeout trailing 73-58. 
 
Ohio continued to battle, with threes from Sheldon and Hunter helping cut the Ohio deficit to 12 with under four minutes to go.  A three from Hunter cut the deficit to nine with under two minutes to go, however Ohio was unable to get any closer, falling, 100-87. 
 
For Arkansas State, Taryn Todd led the Red Wolves with 20 points and seven rebounds, while Derrian Ford added 19 points and Izaiyah Nelson with 17. 
 
Up next, the Bobcats have five days off before returning to action on Friday, Feb. 16 when they head to Toledo, Ohio to take on Toledo. Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. inside Savage Arena and can be seen on ESPNU. 
 
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