SMYRNA, Tenn. (3/18/12) – The Arkansas State bowling team finished second after the final day of competition at the Columbia 300 Music City Classic.

The Red Wolves entered the day as the top-seed in the championship baker bracket and defeated Central Missouri 4-1 to advance to the championship match. Nebraska advanced after defeating Farleigh Dickinson 4-3 and then defeated Central Missouri 4-0 in the second round to advance to the finals against A-State.

In the championship match ASU won the first game 208-204 but the Cornhuskers evened the match at 1-1 after taking the second game 236-178. In the third game ASU escaped with a 178-170 victory but Nebraska again bounced back in game four with a 238-189 victory. Nebraska edged ASU 206-195 in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead in the match, but the Red Wolves fought elimination with a 212-155 victory. In the final game, Nebraska bowled its best score of the match and came away with a 248-198 victory.

“I had the lane choice in the final game and I choose the right side,” ASU bowling coach Justin Kostick said. “The just happened to bowl their best game of the match on the left side. It is just one of those things that you really can’t control.”

ASU finished the tournament with a 12-3 record and now stands at 80-23 on the season and did not finish worse than third in eight tournaments this season.

“We had a really good year,” Kostick said. “We had two tournaments wins and finished top-3 in every one we bowled in. Now we just have to wait for the selection committee and see how everything plays out.”

The NCAA Tournament selection process will take place on March 28 when the final field will be announces. The NCAA Tournament will take place April 12-14 at the Freeway Lanes of Wickliffe in Wicklifee, Ohio.