It’s not unusual – actually, it’s more than a little expected – for Arkansas State men’s basketball teams to run short of steam at season’s end. One might recall Grant McCaslands’ run in 2016-17, who lost six of his last eight games. Perhaps you remember Mike Balado’s 2021-22 squad that finished the regular season losing six of its last ten. As the conference tends to gain strength as the season matures, the Red Wolves have a bad habit of atrophying.

With three games left, it would appear that Bryan Hodgson and his 2024-25 Red Wolves are on target for a similar downward trajectory. Since winning seven straight to assert domination over the Sun Belt, Arkansas State has lost four of its last five – two at home, where the team had previously been unbeaten. The latest, a four point loss to South Alabama, whose zone defense remains a Lament Configuration Arkansas State simply can’t seem to solve.

“I have got to get this thing figured out,” said coach Bryan Hodgson. “This one is on me. 

Well, yes, Coach Hodgson is correct. It is on him and his staff. After all both Troy and South Alabama employed the same strategies they deployed when last the team’s met, and the Red Wolves didn’t seem any more equipped to provide a counter since last go around. But you can point to a number of trouble spots. Shooting, which seemed just fine a couple games ago when A-State dropped 100 on Southern Miss, has become a cacophony of rim rattlers and, in the case of long range shooting, some concerning air balls. Turnovers were ugly, especially against South Alabama. Credit the Jaguars defense, but too many turnovers were unforced. The Red Wolves are in the habit of dribbling in the crowded paint or firing passes to unprepared teammates.

Perhaps most troubling is the lack of production Arkansas State is receiving from the bench. Against Troy, A-State received a modest 15 points from the bench. Against South Alabama, it received zero. Depth, which was once instrumental in Hodgson’s game plan, seems to be a either a forgotten element or an aspect of the team that has taken a step backwards.

All teams great and bad go through its slumps. Perhaps we’re just seeing a program attempting to catch its breath after a long season. But you can’t dismiss the fact that A-State went 1-4 against the top three programs in the Sun Belt. You can’t ignore that two of those losses came at home with plenty of crowd support. You can’t overlook how both Troy and South Alabama shot the three better than Arkansas State on its home court. Lastly, you can’t say Arkansas State had a chance off nailing a lid on two conference contenders, and just couldn’t find the gear with which to do it.

The Red Wolves aren’t cooked, but they need to start cooking fast.

PHOTO:  Carla Wehmeyer – Arkansas State