Arkansas State Rallies Past Southern Miss 89-84 l
Arkansas State converted a season-high 36 free throws and rallied late to defeat Southern Miss 89-84 on Tuesday night inside First National Bank Arena.
With the victory, Arkansas State (19-11, 10-7 Sun Belt Conference) secured its 10th home win of the season, marking the fifth consecutive year the program has reached double-digit home victories. That milestone has been achieved only three other times in program history.
Jalen Hampton paced the Red Wolves with 17 points and 13 rebounds, recording his seventh double-double of the season. Joey Chammaa added 15 points, Christian Harmon scored 14, while Chandler Jackson and Matt Hayman chipped in 11 points apiece.
Chammaa’s performance was particularly notable. He became just the second Division I player this season to score 15 or more points without making a field goal. The Los Angeles native is one of only nine players in NCAA Division I history to accomplish the feat and joins Air Force’s Kam Sanders as the only players to do so during the 2025-26 campaign.
As a team, the Red Wolves shot 24 of 60 (40%) from the field, including 5 of 20 (25%) from beyond the arc. They were especially effective at the free-throw line, finishing 36 of 46 (78.3%). Arkansas State also dominated in key areas, outscoring Southern Miss 27-14 on second-chance points and 30-12 off the bench.
Southern Miss (15-15, 8-9 SBC) jumped out to a 6-0 lead, but Arkansas State responded with 10 of the next 12 points to take control. The Red Wolves built a 53-44 halftime lead behind a 24-for-27 (88.9%) performance from the free-throw line in the opening 20 minutes.
The Golden Eagles clawed back in the second half, briefly taking the lead with just over seven minutes remaining. The teams traded momentum down the stretch before Hampton tied the game at 83-83 with a tip-in layup with 1:48 to play.
An alley-oop from Jackson to Hampton gave the Red Wolves the lead for good. After a defensive stop, late free throws from Harmon and Jackson helped seal the five-point victory.
Arkansas State closes the 2025-26 regular season Friday, Feb. 27, hosting Louisiana at 7:30 p.m. inside First National Bank Arena.