No. 12 Arkansas wasted little time setting the tone in its season opener, racing to a 47-28 halftime lead over Arkansas-Pine Bluff inside Bud Walton Arena.
Jeremiah Wilkinson was the first-half spark. After a rough shooting night from deep in Arkansas’ exhibition against Memphis on Oct. 28, the Georgia transfer guard found his rhythm quickly and buried three triples before the break, including the Razorbacks’ first field goal of the season. He led all scorers at halftime with 14 points.
Wilkinson finished the half 4-7 from the floor, 3-5 from three-point range and 3-5 at the free throw line.
The pace was exactly what Arkansas seemed built for. The Razorbacks piled up 20 fastbreak points in the first half and added 13 more off UAPB turnovers, with the most explosive sequence coming on three straight transition chances.
Wilkinson jumped a pass for a steal that turned into a Billy Richmond dunk, then followed Maper Maker’s rebound with a made three on the next possession. Another steal, this one by JJ Andrews, set up Richmond for another slam and pushed Arkansas ahead 18-2, sending the crowd at Bud Walton Arena into a frenzy.
Defensively, Arkansas kept UAPB uncomfortable all half long. The Golden Lions shot 10-25 from the field and 3-9 from beyond the arc.
Free throws were still a concern for the Razorbacks. After going 32-57 at the line across their two exhibitions, Arkansas improved only slightly in the opener, hitting 15-23 in the first half.
That mark was better than what they posted against Gonzaga and Memphis, but it still left room for plenty of improvement. Even so, the Razorbacks had no issue getting to the stripe.
Arkansas reached 47 points despite shooting 14-29 from the field and 4-12 from three.
In Other News...
Arkansas Faces A Troubling Auburn Trend At The Worst Time
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For the Razorbacks, the timing is especially awkward because Auburns season has given the Tigers enough momentum to make them dangerous at home, even if the broader results have been uneven. Arkansas, meanwhile, is still trying to sort out its offensive issues before they become the defining problem of the stretch run. A road trip like this can either help reset a team or deepen the frustration, and the recent history between these programs suggests the margin for error may be smaller than usual. [Read more 🡒]
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Arkansas Fans Got Two New Pro Hogs To Brag About Sunday
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Beyond those two, the rest of the former Hogs logged a mix of snaps, tackles, receptions and other game action across the league. It was the sort of update that keeps Arkansas followers checking box scores and snap counts, because even when the stat lines are modest, the broader picture is the same: plenty of Razorbacks are still carving out roles on Sundays. [Read more 🡒]