Arkansas falters in second half as No. 23 Ole Miss claims 73-66 win at BWA

By Kevin McPherson

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas was looking to remain perfect at home while bouncing back from its worst loss of the season in its SEC opener on the road last weekend, but instead the Razorbacks were outplayed in the second half as 23rd-ranked Ole Miss claimed a 73-66 win on Wednesday at Bud Walton Arena while spoiling the Razorbacks’ league home opener.

The Rebels erased a 9-point deficit in the first half to tie the game at the break, took the first lead of the second half and grew that to multiple double-digit advantages, then never allowed their lead to dip below 6 points in the final five minutes of the game.

Arkansas (11-4, 0-2 SEC, NCAA NET No. 43) — coming off a 76-52 road loss to No. 1-ranked Tennessee on Saturday — has lost back-to-back games for the first time this season.

Arkansas fell to 9-1 at home on the season (includes 8-1 at BWA). They’re 2-3 away from home (includes a 1-2 mark in neutral-site tilts and 1-1 in true road games).

The loss to Ole Miss (13-2, 2-0 SEC, NCAA NET No. 28) dropped Arkansas to 52-35 in the all-time series as the Hogs have lost the last two meetings between the two programs.

The Razorbacks are now 1-4 in Quad-1 games, 0-0 in Q2, 3-0 in Q3, and 7-0 in Q4.

“Disappointed,” Arkansas head coach John Calipari said after the game. “Not discouraged, but I’m disappointed. You know, we had our chances, again. It’s seven, eight. We’re up 10 at one point, we let them back. We foul a 3-point shooter, do another thing, I’m like, ‘What are we doing?’

“So, I’ve got to do a better job of teaching these guys how to win. How to finish off games. Historically, but again, you create a culture and they understand it. Historically, my teams get up 10 at any point, the numbers are crazy, but they play to win. You’re not just playing to make plays. You’re not playing because you’re not playing well, and now you’re sad and you give up things defensively. And I’ll just say this and then I’ll answer questions: We’re the type of team, we’ve got a good team, but everybody’s got to play well. All nine got to give us something. They don’t have to play out of their minds, but they can’t play poorly. You can’t have three play poorly, or four, or one not give you anything and another… We’re going to have to play better as a group.”

Next up for the Razorbacks is another SEC home game as No. 8 Florida (14-1, 1-1 SEC) comes to BWA on Saturday.

In the second half, Ole Miss shot 12-of-23 from the field (52.2%), including 5-of-11 from 3 (45.5%), while holding the Hogs to 9-of-29 field goal shooting (31.0%), including 1-of-11 from 3 (9.1%).

For the game, Ole Miss shot 23-of-50 from the field (46.0%), including 9-of-23 from 3 (39.1%), and 18-of-28 at the free throw line (64.3%). Arkansas was 22-of-59 field goal shooting (37.3%), including 5-of-23 from 3 (21.7%), and 17-of-24 at the foul line (70.8%).

The Rebs won rebounds (36-35), turnovers (6-5), fastbreak scoring (8-4), steals (5-2), and assists (13-12). The Hogs won second-chance-points (15-7), points-off-turnovers (6-4), points-in-the-paint (28-26), bench scoring (18-12), and blocks (4-2).

Frontline transfer Malik Dia led Ole Miss with a game-high 21 points and 8 rebounds. Guard Sean Pedulla had 16 points and 3 assists. Veteran guards Dre Davis and Matthew Murrell finished with 10 and 9 points, respectively.

Junior 3/4-combo forward Adou Thiero led the Razorbacks with 17 points (7-of-12 field goals and 3-of-5 free throws), 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, and a boxscore plus-2 in 28 minutes.

Starting guards Boogie Fland and DJ Wagner each scored in double digits — Fland had 14 points and Wagner had 11 — but they combined for a dismal 9-of-33 shooting from the field, including only 1-of-13 from 3. Fland also chipped in 6 rebounds and 5 assists.

Senior guard Johnell Davis came off the bench to hit for 15 points (4-of-9 field goals, including 3-of-7 from 3, and 4-of-4 free throws) after not scoring in the aforementioned loss at Tennessee. Freshman wing Karter Knox started and scored 4 points.

Starting center Jonas Aidoo and reserve big men Trevon Brazile and Zvonimir Ivisic collectively had a second consecutive off night, combining for only 5 points, 13 rebounds, and 2 blocks.

Calipari started Knox, Aidoo, Wagner, Fland, and Thiero against Ole Miss.

Arkansas led by as many as 9 points twice in the first half, the last coming on Nelly Davis’ catch-and-shoot triple that gave the Hogs a 27-18 lead with 7:06 remaining before halftime.

But Ole Miss outscored Arkansas 15-6 from there to force a 33-all tie at the break.

Davis had 11 points (including 3-of-5 from 3) to lead the Razorbacks in the first half.

The Hogs shot 13-of-30 from the field (43.3%), including 4-of-12 from 3 (33.3%), and 3-of-7 from the free throw line (42.9%) in the opening half. Ole Miss shot 11-of-27 overall from the field (40.7%), including 4-of-12 from 3 (33.3%) in the first half. The Rebels hit 7-of-11 freebies (63.6%) in the first 20 minutes.

Arkansas narrowly won rebounds (19-18), points-in-the-paint (16-14), and bench scoring (13-7) but lost turnovers (3-1) in the first half.

PRE-game content

* Hoop Hogs R here!!

(2 VIDEOS) https://x.com/Hogville/status/1877143587500048878?t=f6-LCiPqe3OjIPvfgmfC9A&s=19

* Yes, it’s an early tip (6 p.m. CT), but Bud Walton Arena is far from capacity butts-in-seats for Arkansas’ SEC home opener vs. No. 23 Ole Miss that tips in about 10 mins …

(VIDEO) https://x.com/Hogville/status/1877141837095252396?t=5ZlRRQmII1hRBJAAszRB2g&s=19

* FIRST FIVE! Arkansas (11-3, 0-1 SEC) will send out Jonas Aidoo, Karter Knox, DJ Wagner, Boogie Fland, & Adou Thiero first tonight vs. No. 23 Ole Miss (12-2, 1-0 SEC) in Hoop Hogs’ league home opener @ BWA (6 p.m. CT, ESPN2) …

* We got Hoop Hogs Boogie Fland & Big Z (as well as a few Rebels) out here on Nolan Richardson Court inside Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville … it’s Arkansas (11-3, 0-1 SEC) hosting No. 23 Ole Miss (12-2, 1-0 SEC) … game tips tonight at 6 CT (ESPN2)

(VIDEO) https://x.com/Hogville/status/1877123215111135392?t=q3aTwsre_y_hPNNNYxgqjA&s=19

* It’s Arkansas (11-3, 0-1 SEC) hosting No. 23 Ole Miss (12-2, 1-0 SEC) … game tips tonight at 6 CT (ESPN2)

(2 PHOTOS) https://x.com/Hogville/status/1877125005047202073?t=BmyHF-q568QvgDT2u0Pznw&s=19

* Hoop Hog guards gettin’ up shots on one end, Hoop Hog bigs doin’ drill work on the other end … it’s Arkansas (11-3, 0-1 SEC) hosting No. 23 Ole Miss (12-2, 1-0 SEC) … game tips tonight at 6 CT (ESPN2)

(VIDEO) https://x.com/Hogville/status/1877132396971123136?t=_MpJT0-0p7mR1GhGX0GL5g&s=19