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ASU pulls out victory in tough environmentTODD TRAUBARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE RUSTON, La. -- Louisiana Tech's Thomas Assembly Center has been a tough place for Arkansas State -- and just about anyone else -- to play lately. But ASU guard Nick Rivers looked right at home Saturday night. Rivers scored a career-high 31 points as the Indians beat the Bulldogs 80-68 before a crowd of 1,284 to win their second consecutive Sun Belt Conference game. "I didn't feel that comfortable until there were like 30 seconds left and we were up by 10," Rivers said. "With the players they have ... it's just hard to seal a victory here." The Bulldogs (7-5, 0-1) had won 28 of their past 29 home games, but Rivers, inspired by a bit of pushing and shoving early in the game, hit 10 of 16 field goal attempts, including four three-pointers, to add another loss to their home record. "Here's a guy, when he feels it like that we just go right at him and let him have it," ASU Coach Dickey Nutt said. Rivers and Bulldogs guard Gerrod Henderson were assessed a double technical after Rivers was intentionally fouled by Henderson with 13:29 left in the first half. Rivers, who opened ASU's scoring with consecutive three-pointers, kept his composure, with help from guard Jamie Rosser, and scored 24 of his points in the second half, including 12 consecutive at one point. "I couldn't have done it without my teammates, especially Jamie Rosser," Rivers said. "Point guard, giving me the assists. But at the beginning of the game there were a couple of cheap shots where I think we came together as a team. It made all of us mad and all of us played together where we decided we weren't going to lose." "I've been knowing Nick forever. I know he's got a quick temper," Rosser said. "If anything jumps off, he's going to be ready, I mean almost ready, to fight at that time. No matter what. If the game's on the line he's going to be ready to fight. I just told him it's going to be my job to look for him extra in the offense and make him comfortable out there." The Indians had a nine-point lead in the first half and led 36-30 at halftime, but Louisiana Tech opened the second half with a 10-3 run and took its second lead of the game at 40-39, forcing Nutt to call a timeout. "I never want to be a threatening type of coach but I told them 'You've got about one minute to decide if you want to play or not,' " said Nutt, who beat Louisiana Tech Coach Keith Richard for the first time in six tries and got his first victory in Ruston since his rookie season in 1995-96. ASU (8-6, 2-0 Sun Belt) got a three-point play by Rivers to go back in front and led 67-57 after a three-pointer by Rosser with 6:51 left. But the Bulldogs fought back within 67-63 as Zach Johnson scored from the low post and Henderson hit four consecutive free throws, the last two with 4:58 left. But junior forward Kolin Weaver, on his way to a career-high 23 points, hit a three-pointer from the top of the key with 4:35 left and he, Rosser and Rivers teamed up to outscore Louisiana Tech 10-5 the rest of the way.
Halftime -- ASU 36, Louisiana Tech 30 Technical fouls -- Rivers, Henderson Officials -- Harrell Allen, Gene Meness, Rich Shoulders Attendance -- 1,284.
This article was published on Sunday, December 31, 2000RETURN to main page
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