The Arkansas Razorbacks didn’t just bounce back Tuesday night-they roared back. In a dominant 93-68 win over No. 15 Vanderbilt at Bud Walton Arena, the Hogs put on a clinic in ball movement, offensive efficiency, and team basketball.
Six Razorbacks scored in double figures. They racked up 25 assists against just seven turnovers.
That’s a 67.6% assist-to-turnover ratio-elite by any standard. And when you’re shooting nearly 58% from the field and over 40% from deep, like Arkansas did, the numbers don’t just tell a story-they shout it.
This wasn’t a one-off either. It marked the second straight SEC game where Arkansas dished out 25 or more assists, following their 27-assist outburst in a 108-74 win over South Carolina last week.
Back-to-back games with that kind of ball distribution? That’s a team starting to find its rhythm.
Head coach John Calipari, never one to shy away from tweaking his approach, was clear about the formula: move the ball, make quick decisions, and trust your teammates.
“Our whole idea was sometimes you pass the ball just to pass,” Calipari said postgame. “We still have one or two guys that catch it every time then bounce it.
If you catch it, shoot it, drive it, pass it. When that ball moves and we drive and it’s kicked, we’re really good.”
That “really good” showed up in a big way. The Razorbacks assisted on 25 of their 37 made field goals.
The ball didn’t stick. It zipped, it found open shooters, and it created rhythm.
And when you’re doing that against a top-15 team, it’s more than just a good night-it’s a statement.
Freshman guard Meleek Thomas summed it up perfectly: “25 to seven, that’s big-time. Just got the ball moving early, and once we get the ball moving early, we kind of set the standard for the game.
Ball’s on fire. So, everybody gets touches, everybody’s happy.”
That unselfishness started with the starters, who accounted for 18 of the 25 assists. Freshmen Darius Acuff Jr. and Thomas each dropped five dimes.
Senior forward Trevon Brazile matched them with five of his own. Sophomore Karter Knox added two, and senior Nick Pringle chipped in one.
Off the bench, Billy Richmond and DJ Wagner each had three assists. Wagner’s performance was particularly notable-not just for his stat line, but for his role.
For only the second time in his college career, Wagner came off the bench. And it worked.
“Bringing DJ off the bench was for one reason, I needed to get him going,” Calipari explained. “I wanted him to be the point guard.
When he went in, he handled the ball so he had the ball more in his hand where he could then start to just go play. He did great.”
It was a calculated move from Calipari, who isn’t afraid to shake things up midseason. “I’m one who messes with stuff all the time,” he said.
“I changed some things offensively today. I’ve got a really smart team, intelligent basketball players, smart players that I can do that.”
Arkansas is now 2-2 over its last four games, still looking to string together a sustained run. The last time they won back-to-back games was a three-game stretch from December 29 to January 7, when they knocked off James Madison, Tennessee, and Ole Miss.
They’ll get a chance to build on this momentum Saturday night when LSU comes to town. Tip-off from Bud Walton Arena is set for 7:30 p.m. CST, with the game airing on SEC Network.
If the Razorbacks can keep the ball moving like this, they won’t just be fun to watch-they’ll be tough to stop.