ASU sweeps Central State

ALBANY – The Albany State University Rams and Lady Rams both posted wins over Central State University of Ohio to open the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) season at the Arena on West Campus Saturday afternoon.

The men started off on fire and opened up a big lead early and held on to beat Central 79-71. The Golden Rams opened the game with a 22-6 advantage and led by as many as 16 points during the first half. Orion Monford closed the gap in the final minute of the first half to shave Albany State’s lead down to 47-41.

Dwight Richards, Jr. cut the game down to two points, 47-45, but a Jonathan Henderson 3 helped create the distance. With 9:03 to play in the game, Richards evened the score, 56-56, before Malik Fisher took the lead, 58-56. ASU answered with eight-straight points to build a six-point buffer, 64-58.

Jared Harrington, who led ASU and all players with 29 points, knocked down 5-of-6 free throws down the stretch to put the game away. Harrington’s points came on 63 percent shooting from the floor (10-of-16).

Following Harrington’s lead, Tyrell Williams grabbed a double-double with 14 rebounds and 12 points on 6-of-7 shooting. Jonathan Henderson also scored a dozen.

Dwight Richards, Jr., led the team off the bench with 13 points, while both Orion Monford and Dorian Crutcher scored 13 points. Tom Johnson dished out seven assists and had five steals in the loss for Central State.

The Lady Rams got their first win of the year by a score of 66-61. The win is not only the Golden Rams’ first of the season, but it comes in the 2018-19 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) opener.

Jaeda Davis hit a 3 to give Central State an early 5-4 lead. Trailing 9-8, ASU closed the first quarter on a 10-2 run.

CSU regained its lead and held it for more than four minutes in the second quarter before Breanna Wilson put ASU back in front with three minutes to play before halftime. A Chervelle Cox free throw tied the game at 27-27, but ASU’s Kierra ward hit a 3 with 17 seconds to play in the half to push ASU in front by three, 30-27, at the half.

The Muraders continued to keep the game close, taking a 35-34 lead, with 7:06 to play in the third quarter, but Shantrell Holland hit back-to-back 3s for the Golden Rams. ASU led by no more than four points in the third quarter, as Central State continued to hang around, including five-straight points for Jaeda Davis to give CSU a 44-43 lead with 2:46 to play in the quarter.

The lead continued to flip back-and-forth, with Falon Edwards giving CSU its final lead, 56-55, with 3:34 to play in the game. Kierra Ward answered with a second-chance 3-pointer to go up, 58-56. Alexandra James sank a jumper and pair of free throws to regain ASU’s lead, 61-58.

Davis, who led all players with 20 points, made it a one-point game on a 3-pointer with 23 seconds to play, but Ashley Johnson and Ward each knocked down a free throw, and James closed the game with a jumper and 14 total points. Holland finished with 12 points.

Cox posted a double-double for Central State with 14 points and 10 rebounds.