BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) – Undersized but not outgunned, Arkansas was determined to take their best shots at Indiana on Sunday night.
That meant a 3-point barrage, for better or for worse. It’s why the Razorbacks fell behind by double digits when those shots weren’t falling, and also explains how Arkansas rallied to a 71-64 road win with a late surge from long range.
The Razorbacks field a starting lineup of four guards and a tallest player at 6-foot-6, so perimeter play is vital. Sophomore guard Isaiah Joe started the comeback with one of his six 3-pointers. Junior guard Mason Jones hit four.
Arkansas made 12-of-31 from beyond the arc, but most importantly 8-of-17 in the second half.
Joe scored 24 points, his only two-point basket tying the game at 61. Jones, who scored 21, sank 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions to give the visitors a 67-62 lead with 2:01 remaining as part of a 17-1 run down the stretch.
Arkansas (11-1) limited Indiana (11-2) to just three points in the final 8:08.
The Hoosiers hurt themselves by missing half of their 18 free throws and were just 2 of 8 on 3-pointers. It also didn’t help that one of their best perimeter players, junior guard Aljami Durham, was ejected five minutes in for a throwing a retaliation elbow.
Indiana freshman center Trayce Jackson-Davis dominated inside in scoring 16 of his 20 points in the first half. The Hoosiers led 38-33 at intermission. Jackson-Davis threw down his fourth dunk early in the second half. But then everything changed.
Arkansas stressed limiting his touches in the second half, and it worked.
The matchup was a rematch of a March NIT second-round game at the same venue, which Indiana won 63-60. Arkansas edged Indiana 73-72 at home in November of 2018.
BIG PICTURE
Arkansas: While the overall record is impressive, the Razorbacks have yet to face a ranked opponent, so this road win over a quality foe mattered more. Arkansas has no choice but to rely on that 3-point shooting (12-for-31). That’s why the Razorbacks trailed by so much but were able to rally for the win.
Indiana: The young Hoosiers are going to experience growing pains like this when they don’t defend the perimeter effectively. Previous breakdowns seemed isolated, but there was no mistaking how this game turned around so quickly.
UP NEXT
Arkansas: Hosts Texas A&M on Saturday.
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