Arkansas bounces back, holds off Mizzou for key SEC win
By David Wasson
Published:
The No. 20 Arkansas Razorbacks got 21 points from Billy Richmond III and 20 from Naismith Award candidate Darius Acuff Jr. to hold off Missouri 94-86 on Saturday in Fayetteville.
The victory was a rebound win for Arkansas (20-7 overall, 10-4 SEC) after a thrilling 117-115 double-overtime road loss to Alabama earlier this week. Missouri (18-9, 8-6) has lost two of its last three games.
Malique Ewin scored 16 points off the bench for the Razorbacks, Meleek Thomas dropped 14 points and Trevon Brazile added 12.
Missouri got a game-high 26 points from Mark Mitchell, 22 points from Trent Pierce, 11 points from Shawn Phillips Jr. and 10 points from Jayden Stone.
Mizzou outshot Arkansas 55.4 percent to 52.5 percent, but the Razorbacks were much better from the free-throw line – going 22-of-25 from the stripe to the Tigers’ 17-of-23. Fueled by Ewin’s production, Arkansas outscored Missouri off the bench 23-12. The Tigers also committed twice as many turnovers – 10 to 5 – as did the Razorbacks.
Arkansas remained two games behind SEC-leading Florida heading into the final two weeks of the season. The Hogs travel to play the 12th-ranked Gators next Saturday (8:30 pm ET, ESPN). Missouri will get a rematch in Columbia against Arkansas in the final game of the regular season on March 7 (noon ET, ESPN).
With the regular season winding down, Arkansas faces tough odds to win the SEC title. Here’s where the Razorbacks stand at prediction market Kalshi:
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
