Something really ticked-off Arkansas State forward Dyondre Dominguez. While always a high-motor guy, he always seemed more an emotional stoic, governing his passions while routinely sacrificing his body for loose balls. But midway through the first half of the Red Wolves’ game with #16 Memphis, Dominguez was clearly peeved, giving the Tigers who surrounded him an earful of business. Eventually, the referees heard enough and delivered the technical. Moments later, Memphis guard Tyrese Hunter, also agitated, earned his own technical, sending Dominguez to the free throw line. He made both, and he taunted the already moody Tiger faithful with a series of provocative hand gestures.

A-State head coach Bryan Hodgson opted to take Dominguez aside for a brief discussion of who knows what. Hodgson likely wanted to lower Dominguez’ temperature, but also…maybe use his rage for fuel. By the end of Arkansas State’s 85-72 victory over Memphis, Dominguez had 19 points and was 3/3 from the three point line.

The Red Wolves wanted this victory. At the moment, they wanted it more than anything. More than air. More than food. For their part, the Tigers didn’t seem to want the smoke, opening the game by casually popping threes (and missing) before suddenly understanding that Arkansas State had built a double digit lead. By the time Memphis realized that an AP ranking didn’t make buckets, the Red Wolves were operating on self-generating fusion, out-hustling the Tigers and, quite frankly, out-playing them, too.

Joseph Pinion, the Morrilton native and transfer from Arkansas, was an unanswerable riddle that head coach Penny Hardaway was flummoxed to solve. Pinion nailed a pair of threes before the Tigers even seemed to realize that the former 4-star recruit was on the court. He’d finish the game with five made threes, 22 points, and a Hodgson Hard Hat. Rashaad Marshall, the Blytheville native and transfer from Ole Miss, was undaunted by the Memphis bigs, out-playing highly coveted Tigers big-men Moussa Cisse and Dain Dainja. Whatever game plan the Tigers intended to execute on the Red Wolves was rendered moot by Arkansas State’s sheer will to control the game’s outcome.

The Red Wolves played the game short-handed. Magnolia native and Arkansas transfer Derrian Ford was a no-go, visibly limping during warm-ups. Terrence Ford, the team’s truest point guard, hit the deck hard at the end of the first half and was helped off the court, never to return. And then there was A-State forward Izaiyah Nelson, the man Coach Hodgson claimed was always “dialed to 11,” who played out of his mind, aggressively accruing alley-oops, rebounds and fouls. He’d foul out early in the second half in a flurry of bang-bang plays, leaving the court with a beaming smile on his face. And why not? The Red Wolves were dominating the Tigers even without a full roster of weapons.

Reportedly, Tigers players ingloriously departed the FedEx Forum before meeting with the press, leaving head coach Penny Hardaway alone to admit that perhaps the team had taken Arkansas State too lightly. That’s not a bad take from a losing head coach, but the truth of the matter is Arkansas State was a better team, both physically and mentally. The win didn’t require a miracle.

PHOTOS: Carla Wehmeyer/Arkansas State.