When faced with a daunting 25-point deficit at halftime, Arkansas State coach Bryan Hodgson chose a straightforward approach for his halftime speech against UAB.
“We couldn’t possibly play any worse than we just did,” Hodgson told his team.
Typically, a locker room reaction to such a significant halftime deficit involves slumped shoulders and distant gazes. However, Hodgson noticed a different attitude among his players. Despite the challenging circumstances, there was a spark of confidence in their eyes.
The Red Wolves validated their coach’s faith by executing one of the largest comebacks in NCAA Division I history. After trailing 53-28 at halftime, Arkansas State surged back to defeat UAB 98-89 in overtime on Sunday night in Birmingham, Alabama. This remarkable turnaround marked only the sixth time in NCAA history that a team overcame a 25-point halftime deficit to secure a victory, tying for the third-largest comeback ever. The Red Wolves also became the eighth team to rally from a deficit of at least 27 points, having been down 59-32 early in the second half.
“When I looked around that locker room, there was a belief that we could win,” Hodgson said on Monday. “They didn’t waver at all.”
The foundation for the Red Wolves’ confidence was laid during Hodgson’s previous coaching roles at Buffalo and Alabama. While serving as an assistant under coach Nate Oats, Hodgson observed how Oats instilled confidence in his players and adopted a similar mentality upon taking the Arkansas State job in 2023. Last season, the Red Wolves demonstrated resilience with a 20-17 record and showed promise this year with a narrow nine-point loss to No. 6 Alabama and a notable 85-72 victory over No. 21 Memphis earlier this month.
However, that confidence appeared to vanish in the first half against UAB. Despite two days of preparation for UAB’s 1-3-1 zone defense, Arkansas State (9-3) struggled to execute, leading to numerous turnovers. UAB (5-6) capitalized on these mistakes, transforming a three-point deficit into a commanding 24-point lead within just over seven minutes.
“We were like a deer in the headlights,” Hodgson remarked. “It was kind of mind-blowing. We just threw the ball over the gym.”
Facing a 27-point deficit early in the second half, and with two injured starters limited in their play, it seemed another blowout was imminent. Yet, the Red Wolves made history with a stunning turnaround.
Finally executing their game plan, Arkansas State effectively navigated UAB’s zone defense, gradually chipping away at the lead. Unlike in the first half, when their big men struggled with screens and committed turnovers, the Red Wolves began to find their rhythm, setting effective screens at the top of the key.
With the big men successfully executing screens, Arkansas State’s guards were able to penetrate the defense, driving to the basket or finding open shooters. The Red Wolves significantly improved their ball control, reducing their turnovers from 11 in the first half to just three in the second. They shot 22 of 37 from the field and hit 6 of 11 from three-point range.
UAB forced overtime with a dunk from Yaxel Lendeborg with just seven seconds remaining. However, Arkansas State’s Taryn Todd scored five of his career-high 31 points in overtime, leading the team to an improbable victory.
“My guys just showed a lot of grit in the second half,” Hodgson said.
After a dismal first half, the Red Wolves delivered an exceptional performance in the second, securing their place in NCAA history.
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