JONESBORO, Ark. – The Arkansas State men’s basketball team launched their 2026-27 season with a narrow 71-70 win over Toledo on Monday night at First National Bank Arena. Key performances from Tameron Ferguson and Jordan Pyke helped the Red Wolves hold off the Rockets in a game marked by dramatic runs and a tense finish.
Ferguson led Arkansas State with 20 points, shooting 8-for-10 from the field, while also contributing seven rebounds and three steals. Pyke added 11 points and grabbed a team-high nine rebounds, with a crucial steal in the final minute proving decisive. Layne Taylor and Aaron McGee also reached double digits in scoring, with 13 and 11 points respectively. Taylor and Royal Blue Smith tied for the team lead in assists with four each.
As a team, Arkansas State shot 35.7 percent from the field and 29.7 percent from three-point range. Though Toledo out-rebounded the Red Wolves 50-46, Arkansas State capitalized on Toledo’s 16 turnovers. The Red Wolves committed only 10 turnovers themselves and maintained a strong defensive presence, including a key 7:18 stretch where they held Toledo scoreless and fueled a 15-4 run.
Taylor ignited that run in the first half with back-to-back three-pointers, helping A-State build an early 20-9 lead. However, Toledo responded with its own surge, narrowing the margin to two points after a 12-3 stretch. Late efforts from Ferguson and Taylor helped the Red Wolves lead 36-35 at halftime. McGee and Taylor each contributed nine points in the opening half, while Amadou Doumbia grabbed six rebounds and recorded two steals.
The second half remained competitive, with neither team pulling away. Midway through, an 8-0 defensive run allowed Arkansas State to regain some control. But a late push by Toledo gave the Rockets the lead, 64-62, after a three-pointer. Back-and-forth scoring ensued until Ferguson’s final-minute heroics. His three-pointer regained the lead for the Red Wolves, and a free throw following a reach-in foul in the final seconds proved to be the difference. A-State sealed the game when Delang Muon intercepted a Toledo inbound pass near midcourt.
The win marked Arkansas State’s 14th victory in season openers at First National Bank Arena and its 15th consecutive non-conference home win dating back to the 2023-24 season.
The Red Wolves will travel next to face No. 20 Alabama on Nov. 6 at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa. The game is set for a 6:30 p.m. tip-off and will be streamed on SEC Network+ while also airing on the EAB Red Wolves Sports Network and the Red Wolves mobile app.