No. 12 Arkansas made the shots that mattered most Saturday, riding a strong second-half surge to a 76-72 exhibition win over No. 15 Gonzaga inside Bud Walton Arena.
The Razorbacks were staring at a six-point deficit late in the first half after Gonzaga pushed out to its biggest lead of the night, 36-26, with 2:14 left before halftime. Arkansas answered with an 18-0 run that carried over the break and flipped the game in its favor. From there, the Razorbacks did just enough to keep the Zags at arm’s length, even after Gonzaga trimmed the margin to two late.
Billy Richmond III led Arkansas with 17 points and knocked down three 3-pointers. Davion Thompson added 12, while Miikka Muurinen and JJ Andrews scored 10 apiece. Cooper Bowser controlled the glass for the Razorbacks with 10 rebounds.
Gonzaga got a game-high 19 points and 11 rebounds from Braden Huff, who was efficient in a frontcourt battle that saw the Zags own the paint and the boards for much of the afternoon. Izan Almansa came off the bench to score 14 points and grab six rebounds.
The numbers told a familiar story for an exhibition tilt with two Top 15 teams: Gonzaga led for 15:32 and had the edge in rebounding, 52-47, plus a 17-11 advantage in second-chance points. The Zags also outscored Arkansas 36-22 in the paint. But Arkansas had the cleanest perimeter shooting of the game, hitting 11 of 24 from beyond the arc, while Gonzaga went 6 of 28.
Arkansas shot 36.9 percent overall and Gonzaga finished at 35.5 percent.
Thompson played a key role in the closing stretch as Arkansas held off the late charge. The Razorbacks also got 15 assists, with Richmond III leading the way with five.
Gonzaga returns home to face Lewis-Clark State in another exhibition Wednesday at 6 p.m.
In Other News...
Gonzaga's First Exhibition Exposed A Bigger Concern Than The Loss
Gonzagas first exhibition game brought the kind of early-season reminder every team gets sooner or later: the result matters, but the bigger concern can be what the box score doesnt fully explain. Arkansas held off the Bulldogs 76-72 in a game that swung back and forth, and both sides walked away with plenty to clean up. Gonzaga had trouble finding a rhythm from deep, while Arkansas made its living on defensive rebounds and trips to the free-throw line.
The more sobering part for Gonzaga was the absence of Davis Fogle, who sat out with a leg issue and left the Bulldogs without one of the pieces they were counting on. Arkansas coach John Calipari pointed to that missing presence as a major factor in how the game played out, which only sharpened the sense that Gonzagas exhibition opener was about more than a narrow loss. For a team still sorting out its early identity, the injury concern may linger longer than the final score. [Read more 🡒]
Gonzagas Frontcourt Just Got More Dangerous Than Fans Expected
Gonzagas frontcourt outlook took a meaningful turn just before the trip to Fayetteville, when Izan Almansa was confirmed eligible for the upcoming season. The timing mattered, because the Bulldogs have been looking for reliable size and experience to round out their rotation, and Almansa arrives with a chance to give them exactly that as the third big man in the mix.
The early signs were encouraging in the exhibition against Arkansas, where Almansa showed he can affect the game on both ends of the floor. His ability to score inside, clean up the glass and provide rim protection gives Gonzaga another layer in the frontcourt, and it raises the ceiling on a group that already looked sturdy heading into the year. [Read more 🡒]
Mark Few Still Has One Big Gonzaga Problem To Solve
Gonzaga got a first look at its point guard picture in the exhibition against Arkansas, and the early read was mixed at best. Javon Bennett, Xaivian Lee and Nathan de Sousa all saw action in the 76-72 loss, with Lee getting the start as the staff tried to sort out how the backcourt might take shape around a group with very different backgrounds and roles.
The problem, for now, is that the three guards did not provide much offense when the lights came on. Mark Few pointed to the shooting struggles after the game, and Bennett in particular seemed to be working through more than just a rough night, with his availability only being settled shortly before tipoff. Lee stood out most among the trio, but the overall performance left Gonzaga with plenty to clean up before the real games begin. [Read more 🡒]