MEMPHIS, Tenn. — In an impressive outing, Joseph Pinion scored 22 points and grabbed eight rebounds, while Dyondre Dominguez contributed 19 points as Arkansas State overpowered No. 16 Memphis with an 85-72 victory on Sunday.
Pinion finished the game shooting 7 of 13 from the field and was particularly lethal from beyond the arc, hitting 5 of 11 three-point attempts. This win marks Arkansas State’s second consecutive victory and their first against a ranked opponent since 1991. Taryn Todd also played a significant role for the Red Wolves, ending the game with 17 points.
Leading the Tigers, PJ Haggerty was the standout player, scoring 29 points, while Dain Dainja managed to secure a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Throughout much of the game, Arkansas State maintained a double-digit lead, including a 68-57 advantage with just eight minutes remaining, allowing them to end a seven-game losing streak against Memphis.
In terms of performance, the Red Wolves made a strong impression during the first half, successfully converting 7 of 18 attempts from three-point range, which helped them establish an 18-point lead. Though Memphis made some pushes in the second half, narrowing the gap on several occasions, Arkansas State effectively responded to the pressure.
Memphis struggled significantly during the first half, shooting less than 20% in the waning moments. Despite increasing their defensive efforts, the Tigers found it difficult to threaten the Red Wolves significantly.
One key moment in the game came when Memphis narrowed the score to 60-53 with 11 minutes remaining. However, the Red Wolves quickly countered, going on a 12-6 run, which featured critical three-pointers from Pinion, Todd, and Kobe Julien, extending their lead to 75-60 with just over six minutes left in the game.
Historically, this victory holds weight as Arkansas State’s last triumph against a ranked team occurred in 1991 when they defeated then-No. 21 New Orleans with a score of 76-65.
Looking ahead, Arkansas State will host UT-Arlington this Thursday, while Memphis is set to face Clemson on Saturday.