McFarland’s Late Free Throws Lift Greyhounds Past UA Cossatot, 82–81

Lockesburg, Ark - ASU Mid-South survived a late scare on the road Wednesday night, escaping UA Cossatot with a dramatic 82–81 victory as Hugh McFarland calmly knocked down two free throws in the closing seconds to seal the win.

The Greyhounds scored first, but from that point on it was an uphill battle. UA Cossatot took control early and led for the majority of the contest, using defensive pressure and length to disrupt ASU Mid-South's offensive rhythm. The Colts held the Greyhounds to their lowest shooting percentages of the season, turning the game into a grind from start to finish.

Cossatot still clung to a three-point advantage with 1:30 remaining when the momentum finally swung. Phillip Tillman sparked the rally on the defensive end, helping force a 10-second violation. On the ensuing possession, Tillman finished a running layup to trim the deficit to one.

The sophomore wasn't finished. On the Colts' next trip, Tillman stripped the ball loose, then stepped to the free-throw line and converted both attempts to give ASU Mid-South a one-point lead. After a defensive stop, the Greyhounds briefly handed the momentum back with a turnover, and Cherano Calmez capitalized with a basket to put Cossatot back on top by one.

ASU Mid-South answered with a quality look from David Brewer, but the shot came up empty. McFarland made the biggest play of the night on the follow, drawing a foul on the rebound. He calmly sank both free throws to push the Greyhounds ahead 82–81. The Colts turned the ball over on the final possession, allowing ASU Mid-South to escape with the narrow victory.

Calmez led UA Cossatot with 21 points, while RJ Patton added 18. Amory Arie and Dylan Glover chipped in 10 points apiece for the Colts.

Tillman led all scorers with 26 points for ASU Mid-South, adding a complete stat line of four rebounds, six assists, and four steals. Dejavius Johnson and McFarland each finished with 11 points, while Taylor Conner scored 10 in limited action due to foul trouble.

After the game, the ASU Mid-South head coach Cody Hastings emphasized the need for a stronger start moving forward. "We need to come in more engaged and focused from the opening tip-off," he said. "We put ourselves in a hole and had to work a lot harder to dig ourselves out of it. We'll get it figured out, but I'm proud of the constant fight these guys had tonight and how they fought to the literal end. This is a difficult place to play, and I'm just glad to get the win."

With the win, ASU Mid-South improves to 14–6 overall and 7–2 in conference play.

After the game, the Greyhounds' coach pointed to the narrow escape as a learning moment. "We've got to be more focused and bring more energy on a day-to-day basis," he said. "Conference games like this will expose you if you don't, and tonight was a reminder of that."

Due to upcoming weather, ASU Mid-South's game against ASU Newport has been rescheduled for February 2 at 6:00 p.m.