NCAA News Wire
Arkansas 84, Missouri 69
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas made the most of its misses Wednesday night.
The No. 18 Razorbacks shot 47 percent and scored 22 second-chance points, beating the Missouri Tigers 84-69 in a Southeastern Conference clash at Bud Walton Arena.
Arkansas (21-5, 10-3 SEC) turned 20 Missouri turnovers into 18 points, hit 10 3-pointers and used a series of big runs to beat the Tigers and continue its best stretch since the 1997-98 season and maintain sole possession of second place in the league behind No. 1 Kentucky.
The loss was the 12th consecutive for Missouri (7-19, 1-12), matching the longest losing streak in school history, set in the 1965-66 season.
Junior guard Michael Qualls led the Razorbacks with 21 points, including 4 of 7 from 3-point range. Sophomore forward Bobby Portis added 16 points on 8 of 12 shooting and had nine rebounds and freshman guard Anton Beard scored 13.
The Razorbacks’ depth also proved to be big as Arkansas held a 37-21 advantage in bench points against the younger, inexperienced Tigers.
Arkansas quickly turned an eight-point halftime lead into a runaway early in the second half. The Razorbacks hit four 3-pointers in the opening five minutes of the second half, including a pair from Qualls, and led by as many as 18.
Missouri, however, scored on six consecutive possessions midway through the second half and was within 12 with 11:50 remaining.
That’s when Arkansas’ defense got stingy again, holding the Tigers without a field goal during a five-minute stretch. Portis scored twice during the stretch, a 10-2 Arkansas run, and the Razorbacks led 71-53 with 8:05 remaining.
Sophomore forward Johnathan Williams and freshman guard Tramaine Isabell each scored 13 to lead Missouri, which was 6 of 17 from 3-point range. Freshman forward Jakeenan Gant and freshman guard Montaque Gill-Ceasar each added 11.
Missouri went seven minutes without scoring in the first half and Arkansas took advantage, using a 15-0 run to help it build a 37-29 halftime lead.
The Razorbacks forced eight turnovers during the big run and forced 14 for the first half.
Missouri shot 44 percent (11 of 25) in the first half, slightly better than Arkansas’ 43 percent (12 of 28).
Arkansas held an 11-2 advantage in second-chance points in the first half.
NOTES: Arkansas honored two-time All-American and 1994 Final Four MVP Corliss Williamson at halftime with the raising of his jersey to the rafters at Bud Walton Arena. … The Tigers’ freshmen and sophomores have played 64.4 percent of the team’s minutes through 25 games. … Arkansas senior G Rashad Madden became the 36th player in school history to score 1,000 points, reaching that feat in Saturday’s victory at Ole Miss.
