FAYETTEVILLE – The Arkansas males's basketball crew overcame a gradual begin to defeat Abilene Christian on Thursday at Bud Walton Area.
Guards Tramon Mark and Khalif Battle scored 31 factors after halftime to guide the Razorbacks to an 83-73 victory. Arkansas trailed by 9 factors within the second half.
The Razorbacks improved to 8-4 getting into their longest common season break. Arkansas is just not scheduled to play once more till a Dec. 30 house sport towards North Carolina-Wilmington.
“Stink, stink, and stink,” Arkansas coach Eric Musselman stated of the primary half. “The group of six guys that performed the final 16 minutes of the sport performed with power. They're a bunch that practiced with power. That first half wasn't good on both aspect of the basketball.”
Battle scored 8 factors throughout a 10-0 run that gave Arkansas the lead early within the second half. After Keyon Menifield hit a jumper to offer the Razorbacks a 44-43 lead, Battle hit a 3-pointer in transition for a 14-2 run.
ACU (5-7) tied the sport at 47-47 on a Leonard Bettiol free throw with 13:26 left. Mark dunked on the different finish to offer Arkansas the lead for good.
Mark scored 17 of his game-high 25 factors after halftime. He additionally had a game-high 11 rebounds.
It was Mark's highest level whole since being carried off the ground on a stretcher on the finish of a 34-point efficiency towards North Carolina on Nov. 24. Mark scored 32 factors in his first three video games again from damage.
“I feel he's again,” Musselman stated.
Battle scored 14 of his 18 factors within the second half.
“We had been capable of play onerous and sensible within the second half,” Mark stated, “a lot better than we did within the first half.”
Neither Mark nor Battle began. Their huge performs contributed to the Razorbacks' 62-23 edge in factors off the bench.
“Each of these guys had been actually efficient,” Musselman stated. “I believed Battle had his greatest defensive sport of the season, and it wasn't even shut. I believed he received into perspective. He labored in apply this week and it correlated with the sport.”
Arkansas made 9-of-24 photographs (37.5%) within the first half, however was 18-of-28 (64.3%) after halftime. The Razorbacks outscored the Wildcats 55-38 within the second half.
Mark made 9 of 14 photographs. Battle made 5 of 8 makes an attempt, together with 3 of 4 from 3-point vary.
Mark and Battle every made 5 of 6 free throw makes an attempt as a part of a 22-for-28 efficiency for the Razorbacks from the road.
Arkansas led by seven factors early, however the Wildcats completed the primary half on a 13-2 run. ACU took a 35-28 halftime lead when Kavion McClain hit a 3-pointer on the buzzer.
The Wildcats prolonged their result in 9 factors twice within the second half, together with at 39-30 when Airion Simmons made a layup and 19-15.
Mark and Battle took over from there.
An a-1 layup and a free throw by Mark minimize the result in 39-33. Menifield hit a pair of free throws and Chandler Lawson had a dunk to chop the result in 41-37.
That began a 14-2 run that modified the sport. Battle's three with 16:08 remaining minimize ACU's result in 43-40 with 16:08 to play and he made a pair of free throws on the subsequent possession.
ACU capitalized on Arkansas' sloppy play. The Wildcats scored 16 factors off 17 Razorbacks turnovers and had 10 steals.
Arkansas received the rebounding battle 45-34, however ACU had 11 offensive rebounds that led to 19 second-chance factors. The Wildcats struggled on the rim, going 15-of-29 on layup makes an attempt.
Ali Abdo Dibba scored 18 factors to guide ACU.
Menifield scored 11 on 4-of-8 taking pictures in his second sport since turning into eligible final week. Menifield additionally had 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 4 turnovers and the Razorbacks outscored the Wildcats by 21 factors in his 28 minutes on the ground.
“He had his head down and stuff after the primary half as a result of he had a few substitutions,” Mark stated. “I informed him, 'We’ve got one other 20 minutes to play.' He got here out and did precisely what he was purported to do. He received into the rack, made some powerful photographs, made some good passes. He had an important second half.”
Lawson added 9 factors and a team-high 10 rebounds, and Trevon Brazile had 8 factors and 4 rebounds within the first half. Brazil performed only a minute after halftime.
