Game story: Arkansas cruises past in-state D1 foe UCA, 82-57, on Saturday in North Little Rock for Hogs’ fourth straight win
on 2024-12-14 20:34 PM
By Kevin McPherson
NORTH LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas is on a path for the men’s basketball program’s first perfect December to remember in four years, needing just two more wins this month following the Razorbacks’ impressive 82-57 victory over in-state Division 1 foe Central Arkansas on Saturday inside jam-packed Simmons Bank Arena.
Arkansas (9-2, NCAA NET No. 40) dominated UCA in both halves, inside and out, to win its four consecutive games — ALL coming in December without a blemish, and the winning streak includes three victories away from BWA — as part of an 8-wins-in-its-last-9-contests stretch. The last time the Razorbacks went unbeaten in the month of December was during the covid-shortened 2020-21 campaign when they finished the month with a 7-0 record dominated by six home matchups against mid-major opponents after playing only two games in November.
Next up for the Razorbacks are two home games at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville — mid-majors North Carolina A&T on Dec. 21 and Oakland on Dec. 30 — to close out the team’s 13-game non-conference slate before the start of SEC play in early January.
“That (a 76-73 win at Miami) was a big game … and so was Michigan (89-87 neutral-site win), and so was this (win over UCA),” Arkansas head coach John Calipari said. “We’ve just got to keep growing as a team. The assists-to-turnovers, 23 assists, 12 turns, there was some good stuff there.
“And I told John (UCA head coach John Shulman), the things that they’re doing and how they’re playing for that team, we’re pretty big and long. They’re going to play in a league, they’re going to make 12-to-15 threes. They’ve got guys that aren’t afraid to go to the basket. That defense where they’re switching everything, I was worried about it. Then they jump into that zone. I was worried about the press a little bit, rightfully so. I know they may feel down a little bit. They’ve lost some games, but let me just say this, stay the course. Stay the course. They’re playing in a way that’s different, and it’s going to stun some people. You watch.”
Freshman guard Boogie Fland (16 points, 9 assists, 5 rebounds) led six Hogs in double-figure scoring, and group that included freshman wing Karter Knox (14 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists); senior center Jonas Aidoo (season-high 13 points, 4 reboinds, 2 blocks); sophomore guard DJ Wagner (13 points and 6 assists); senior guard Nelly Davis (11 points, including 3-of-6 shooting from 3); and junior forward Trevon Brazile (11 points, 7 rebounds, 5 blocks).
Although the Hogs-Bears tilt on Saturday was actually a neutral-site matchup, for purposes of NCAA NET calculations it will count as a home game for Arkansas, thus the Hogs have improved to 7-0 at home on the season (includes 6-0 at BWA). They’re 2-2 away from home (includes a 1-2 mark in neutral-site tilts and 1-0 in true road games).
The win over UCA (2-8, NCAA NET No. 344) moves the Razorbacks to 9-0 in the all-time series against the Bears. Three of those wins have spanned the past five seasons after a 74-year gap between games, but Saturday marked the first matchup in the series played away from Fayetteville since the ’35-36 season. It was the first-ever meeting between the schools that was not played in either Fayetteville (five times including the previous three) or Conway (three times).
The Razorbacks — coming off their first Quad-1 win of the season over No. 14 Michigan, 89-87, on Tuesday in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York City — are 1-2 in Q1 games, 0-0 in Q2, 3-0 in Q3, and now 5-0 in Q4.
Following its dramatic, roller-coaster win that saw a 15-point first-half deficit followed by taking an 18-point second lead before holding on for a 2-point win over the Wolverines earlier in the week, Arkansas enjoyed a much smoother ride against unranked mid-major UCA of the Atlantic Sun Conference on Saturday.
The Razorbacks — once again not at full strength as leading scorer Adou Thiero (illness) sat out — used an early 13-2 run to take a 15-point lead, 22-7, before expanding their advantage to 46-28 at halftime.
Arkansas moved to a 23-point lead, 58-35, at the 15:28 mark of the second half, then the Hogs pushed their lead out to 31 points, 69-38, on a Wagner three-point field goal in transition with 10:20 remaining as they easily cruised to the winner’s circle from there.
For the game, Arkansas had 23 assists and shot 33-of-55 from the field (60%), including 9-of-20 from 3 (45%), and 7-of-9 at the free throw line (77.8%). Defensively, the Razorbacks limited UCA to 18-of-54 shooting from the field (33.3%), including 7-of-28 from 3 (25%). The Bears made 14-of-18 at the foul line (77.8%).
The Hogs dominated points-in-the-paint (44-18), fastbreak scoring (21-0), total rebounds (36-22), bench scoring (18-8), and blocks (9-1) while also winning points-off-turnovers (11-9), offensive rebounds (7-6), and second-chance-points (11-8). UCA won turnovers (12-9) and steals (6-5).
It was Calipari’s first time coaching the Hogs in the program’s annual December trek to central Arkansas for a game.
“Well, I mentioned outside that Madison Square Garden (in New York City), I walked out there on that court, and I’ve been there many times, and I walked out and saw like 8,000 fans there,” Calipari recalled of his team’s win over Michigan earlier in the week. “With red. I was stunned, which tells me we need to go there every year and around Christmas.
“And then I walk in here and I see this crowd, that’s why you need to come here. You know, and stick around and sign autographs and let the people know, yes, we care. It was a great crowd. You know, I thought we did some good stuff. It’s nice now, we can throw the ball to Jonas and he can make decisions, and he can score around the basket. You’re seeing why we wanted him here. You’re also seeing why he was an all-conference player. TB is just playing with unbelievable energy. I let… I say I let, Adou not play today. He didn’t practice for three days. I made him go through the shootaround today, but he’s off tomorrow, and then we’ve got to start getting him back. But for him to play in that michigan game, listen folks, he had no business playing. For him to get seven straight points, which settled us down, I mean without him, we don’t win that game. He’s had the last four days off. His fever spiked after that last game, so I just said let him shut it down for a minute. Now we have some time to get him back. We leave to go home on the 21st and don’t come back till the 26th.”
Forward Elias Cato (15 points), freshman guard Layne Taylor of Farmington (13 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists), and wing Ben Fox of Little Rock (12 points) led the way for the Bears.
Calipari started Aidoo, Brazile, Wagner, Fland, and Davis against UCA.
Fland had 13 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists to lead the Razorbacks in the first half while Aidoo matched his season-high of 10 points in the first 20 minutes.
The Hogs shot 19-of-28 from the field (67.9%), including 5-of-11 from 3 (45.5%), and 3-of-3 from the free throw line in the opening half. Defensively, Arkansas limited UCA to 9-of-27 overall from the field (33.3%), including 3-of-15 from 3 (20.0%). The Bears hit 7-of-8 freebies (87.5%) in the first half.
Arkansas won rebounds (15-9), turnovers (5-4), points-off-turnovers (6-2), points-in-the-paint (24-8), and fastbreak scoring (10-0) in the first half.
POST-game content
* Arkansas HC John Calipari opens w/statement before answering media questions following his Hoop Hogs’ 82-57 win over UCA on Sat @ Simmons Bank Arena in NLR …
(VIDEO) https://x.com/ARHoopScoop/status/1868075223427559894?t=6vJA-hBqeTNmDs65S1Uihg&s=19
* Arkansas’ Boogie Fland & Karter Knox answer media questions following the Hoop Hogs’ 82-57 win over UCA on Sat @ Simmons Bank Arena in NLR …
(VIDEO) https://x.com/ARHoopScoop/status/1868071062644097136?t=RTCDzMerg6jIcZMXxqtb7w&s=19
* UCA HC John Shulman post-game following the Hoop Hogs’ 82-57 win over the Bears on Sat @ Simmons Bank Arena in NLR …
(VIDEO) https://x.com/ARHoopScoop/status/1868071547283571146?t=q1F1uRfRMuKg0OEpTnHNEw&s=19
IN-game content
* Arkansas leads UCA, 66-38, w/12:04 remaining in 2nd half …
(3 VIDEOS) https://x.com/ARHoopScoop/status/1868057951434330135?t=sByIZzjcxYZm4-4rbgXNGw&s=19
* Hogs on 7-0 run (DJ Wagner 3, Aidoo scores in transition, Trevon Brazile putback) before UCA guard Layne Taylor @LayneTaylor2024 scores on a reverse layup (ALL in the reel) … Arkansas’ run is up to 13-2 for a 22-7 Razorbacks lead w/14:43 remaining 1st half … Fland w/7p …
(VIDEO) https://x.com/ARHoopScoop/status/1868041376467960170?t=3J45f5IP2LAEWsXEgzASDg&s=19
* 2026 priority Hog target & Nat’l No. 15 / 5-star JaShawn “JJ” Andrews @JJAndrews2026 (6-7 wing, LRChristian) IS IN THE HOUSE today @ Simmons Bank Arena in NLR for Arkansas-v-UCA … Andrews is set to visit Arkansas later this month (Dec. 29-31)
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(PHOTO) https://x.com/ARHoopScoop/status/1868042723288313910?t=3kgfRp5qwWc5iYIiBrPwdg&s=19
* Arkansas leads UCA, 32-17, w/7:30 to go until halftime … senior guard Nelly Davis has hit a couple of triples for Hogs, incl the one from the left side in the reel …
(VIDEO) https://x.com/ARHoopScoop/status/1868044840010936656?t=ahqQivpGsst_AE6pyZLkfA&s=19
* Halftime: Arkansas 46, UCA 28 … Hogs Boogie Fland (13p 3r 3a), Jonas Aidoo (10p 2r), Trevon Brazile (6p 3r), Nelly Davis (6p), DJ Wagner (3p 5a) … Bears G Layne Taylor (8p 2a) … UA 19-28 FGs (67.9%), incl 5-11 from 3 (45.5%), & 3-3 FTs …
(2 VIDEOS) https://x.com/ARHoopScoop/status/1868049843090043026?t=sDc1zX58eeYE-R12e6dLAw&s=19
(PHOTO of halftime boxscore) https://x.com/ARHoopScoop/status/1868049988800155859?t=_axa9IWcQj34610VVsrm2g&s=19
PRE-game content …
* We’re inside Simmons Bank Arena in NLR for Arkansas-v-UCA in a Saturday battle of in-state Division 1 foes (tips @ 3 p.m. CT, SEC Network Plus livestream) …
(2 VIDEOS) https://x.com/ARHoopScoop/status/1868017765715705966?t=dJyyFMDWKjFT1PoFlIUkgg&s=19
* Pre-game scenes from inside Simmons Bank Arena in NLR …
-DJ & Nelly gettin’ up shots (reel 1)
-Nelly meetin’, greetin’, & signin’ (reel 2)
-Former Hog Connor Vanover in the house in his hometown = THE 501 (reel 3)
(3 VIDEOS) https://x.com/ARHoopScoop/status/1868025906352009339?t=JRWUCJLRKTm8LDjcrkSxbw&s=19
* Razorbacks Royalty Joe Kleine @SlaterMoJoe will have the color commentary duties today on SEC Network Plus livestream for Arkansas-v-UCA @ Simmons Bank Arena in NLR (3 p.m. CT tip) …
(VIDEO) https://x.com/ARHoopScoop/status/1868027991026225218?t=bnxF8o_aQ2X6W0O1QVSmPQ&s=19
* Source tells me 2026 priority Hog target & Nat’l No. 15 / 5-star JaShawn “JJ” Andrews @JJAndrews2026 (6-7 wing, LRChristian) plans to be in the house today @ Simmons Bank Arena in NLR for Arkansas-v-UCA … Andrews is set to visit Arkansas later this month (Dec. 29-31) …
* We’re about 25 mins till tip … it’s Arkansas-v-UCA on Saturday @ Simmons Bank Arena in NLR …
(VIDEO) https://x.com/ARHoopScoop/status/1868033212230115622?t=pjogVP0B0wG2MyorLluGMA&s=19
* First Five! Arkansas (8-2) will send out Jonas Aidoo, Nelly Davis, DJ Wagner, Boogie Fland, & Trevon Brazile first today against in-state D1 foe UCA (2-7) @ Simmons Bank Arena in NLR (3 p.m. CT, SEC Network Plus livestream) …
* Hog callin’ the Razorbacks onto the court inside Simmons Bank Arena in NLR …
(VIDEO) https://x.com/ARHoopScoop/status/1868036680495804727?t=bCMU2Rb23x0KtSzkvCRrqQ&s=19
* Hoop Hogs R here …
(VIDEO) https://x.com/ARHoopScoop/status/1868038643576942672?t=lrXnmplE6d06U4Rm-GOxKA&s=19
(Last updated: 2024-12-14 20:34 PM)