FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas coach Mike Anderson said his team had to improve on the boards and at the free-throw line after struggling with both during last Wednesday’s loss at Ole Miss.
The Razorbacks weren’t outstanding in either category against LSU on Saturday night. But they did just enough to beat the Tigers.
Arkansas fought its way to a 69-60 win in front of a season-high announced crowd of 14,800 on Saturday night, keeping its record unblemished in Bud Walton Arena this season.
The Razorbacks were outrebounded 46-38 and went 16-for-28 from the free-throw line, but won behind solid 3-point shooting (9 of 18) and a defense that forced 16 turnovers.
Guards B.J. Young (19 points), Julysses Nobles (15) and Mardracus Wade (14) led the way for the Hogs, who are 13-0 in Fayetteville.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The Razorbacks (13-4, 2-1 in Southeastern Conference) did so Saturday night, although Anderson said it was pretty clear his team was pressing too much to make something happen in the first half.
Arkansas finally found most of its early success from behind the 3-point line, going 5-for-12 in the first half. By comparison, the Razorbacks were just 4-for-16 inside the arc.
Arkansas did take a lead into the locker room thanks to a last-second drive from Young, which resulted in a foul call. He made one free-throw to give the Hogs a 30-29 edge.
Arkansas was much improved in the second half, making its key run after LSU (11-6, 1-2) took a 33-32 lead on Andre Stringer’s 3-pointer.
Guard Ky Madden — who started the second half in place of Rickey Scott — knocked down a jumper to kick off a 9-0 run. Michael Sanchez scored on a putback a little later, Wade made his third 3-pointer, then forward Devonta Abron scored a bucket inside to cap it.
The spurt helped gave the Hogs a 41-33 lead, which, at the time, was its largest.
LSU got a game-high 20 points from center Justin Hamilton.
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Mitchell to try and walk on
Backup quarterback Brandon Mitchell was sitting on the Arkansas basketball team’s bench for the LSU game.
Coach Bobby Petrino said through an Arkansas spokesperson Mitchell remains a member of the football program, but received permission to attempt to walk onto the basketball team for the rest of the season.
It wouldn’t be Mitchell’s first stint with the Arkansas basketball team. The Louisiana native — who also was recruited to play basketball by schools like LSU — walked onto the team in 2009-10 and played four games, averaging 1.3 points and 1.3 rebounds before leaving to concentrate on football.