JONESBORO, Ark. (Interstat) — The Arkansas State women’s basketball team used a dominant second-quarter surge to overwhelm Old Dominion and cruise to an 84-55 victory on Wednesday afternoon at Convocation Center.

A crowd of 3,567 watched the Red Wolves (17-4) separate decisively with a 26-point second period, turning a modest six-point lead after one quarter into a commanding 43-25 halftime advantage. The Lady Monarchs (12-8) never recovered, suffering from profound offensive struggles throughout the contest.

Old Dominion’s shooting woes were the story of the game. The Lady Monarchs connected on just 16 of 64 field goal attempts, a frigid 25 percent from the floor. They were only marginally better from three-point range, hitting 4 of 22. While Arkansas State was not exceptionally efficient, shooting 45.5 percent, its offensive output was more than enough against an Old Dominion team that managed an offensive rating of just 64.8 on 85 possessions.

The most important stretch of the game came in that decisive second quarter. Leading 17-11, Arkansas State unleashed a 14-2 run over a four-minute span to break the game open. The Red Wolves capitalized on Old Dominion’s mistakes, scoring 25 points off 28 Lady Monarch turnovers for the game. Arkansas State’s defensive pressure was relentless, generating 17 steals and contesting nearly every shot. The Red Wolves also dominated inside, outscoring Old Dominion 44-18 in the paint.

Arkansas State’s Mimi McCollister, a 5-foot-6 guard from Athens, Texas, led a balanced and deep Red Wolves attack. She finished with 15 points, six rebounds and five assists in 22 minutes, orchestrating the offense and hitting key shots. Her performance continued a strong stretch of play, following an 11-point, four-rebound, four-assist outing in a win over Southern Mississippi last Saturday.

The Red Wolves showcased their depth, with nine players scoring at least three points. Bella Weary added 12 points, while Crislyn Rose and the duo of Mia Tarver and Zyion Shannon each chipped in 10 points. Marlie Dickerson was a force on the glass, grabbing 10 rebounds to go with nine points.

Old Dominion was carried by the individual effort of En’Dya Buford, who scored a game-high 21 points and collected seven rebounds in 37 minutes. However, she received little support, as the rest of the Lady Monarchs combined to shoot 8 of 47 from the field. Riley Stack provided a brief spark off the bench with six points and two blocks.

Arkansas State’s victory was a comprehensive one, outrebounding Old Dominion 46-41 and dishing out 17 assists to the Lady Monarchs’ 12. The Red Wolves also took better care of the ball in the second half after a sloppy first half that saw both teams combine for 34 turnovers.

With the win, Arkansas State improves to 17-4 and continues a strong Sun Belt Conference campaign. Old Dominion falls to 12-8, having lost three of its last five games after a promising start to league play.

Arkansas State will look to continue its momentum when it hosts James Madison on Saturday. Old Dominion travels to face Texas State on the same day, seeking to correct its offensive issues.