GAME STORY: Arkansas flops at LSU, 78-74, in battle of winless SEC bottom-feeders

By Kevin McPherson

Arkansas has lost four consecutive games to start SEC play — a feat matched only by John Pelphrey’s 2008-09 Hogs that finished 2-14 in the league — thanks to the Razorbacks’ latest inept performance against fellow league-bottom-feeder LSU on Tuesday as the Tigers picked up their first league win, 78-74, at home in Baton Rouge, La.

The Hogs used runs of 12-0 (good for a 28-16 first-half lead) and 13-1 (good for a 52-44 second-half lead) only to pile up self-inflicted wounds at both ends of the floor in helping fuel LSU runs of 18-8 (to close the first half as the Tigers pulled within 36-34 at the break) and 20-3 (good for a 64-55 Tigers lead with 9:09 remaining in the game).

The Razorbacks were still trailing by a three-possession deficit, 74-67, with 1:19 to play when senior big man Jonas Aidoo’s putback, junior forward Trevon Brazile’s second three-pointer of the game, and junior 3/4-combo forward Adou Theiro’s 2-of-2 free throw trip (the latter coming off an LSU turnover in the backcourt) led a 7-2 Arkansas mini spurt that cut their deficit to 2 points, 76-74, with 28 seconds reamining in the contest. Tigers guard Jordan Spears made both of his free throws with 21 seconds to play to extend LSU to a two-possession lead, 78-74, before the Razorbacks missed three field goal attempts on their final possession of the game.

In a league game that saw Arkansas finally shoot efficiently from 3 in volume (9-of-20 for 45.0%) while also shooting efficiently from the free throw line (11-of-13 for 84.6%), LSU was only mariginally worse in terms of volume of makes shooting from distance (8-of-22 for 36.4%) while dominating the free throw line, both in volume and elite efficiency (26-of-28 for 92.9%).

Arkansas (11-6, 0-4 SEC, NCAA NET No. 49) — coming off back-to-back-to-back losses to then-No. 1 Tennessee (76-52 on Jan. 4), then-No. 23 Ole Miss (73-66 on Jan. 8], and then-No. 8 Florida (71-63 on Jan. 11) — notched its second road loss as part of the team’s current four-game losing streak.

The Hogs fell to 2-4 away from home (includes a 1-2 mark in neutral-site tilts and 1-2 in true road games). They’re 9-2 at home on the season (includes 8-2 at BWA).

The loss to LSU (12-5, 1-3 SEC, NCAA NET No. 69) dropped Arkansas to 43-37 in the all-time series between the two programs.

The Razorbacks are now 1-6 in Quad-1 games, 0-0 in Q2, 3-0 in Q3, and 7-0 in Q4.

Next up for the Razorbacks is another SEC road game — at Missouri on Saturday (5 p.m. CT, SEC Network).

“I’ve got to do a better job with this team,” Arkansas head coach John Calipari said during his post-game radio interview.  “Again, we had a 12-point lead. Again we look at shot selection and offensive rebounds again. There’s just stuff we have to clean up. I look at this team and I know we’re better than we’re playing. Back to back turnovers. Just stuff that leaks out. We made a stretch run that gave us a chance to win the game and we foul their best foul shooter. They were making free throws, give them credit. And we were missing jump shots and stuff like that.

“But they (LSU) deserved to win the game. Our guys were flying around. I’ve just got to drag them across the finish line. I just have to do a better job. I coached a really light game. Happy and clapping, trying to take it off them so they could play. But they are starting to feel it and I don’t blame them. You lose a bunch of games the monkey is on your back. So we’ve got to figure out how to win one and go from there.”

Other than the aforementioned free throw line dominance as well as siginificant advantages in blocked shots (11-6) and bench scoring (31-18), LSU only slightly outshot Arkansas overall from the field in terms of efficiency — 22-of-55 for 40.0% compared to the Hogs’ 27-of-69 for 29.1%. The Tigers also won total rebounds (39-37) and steals (8-6) by small margins. The Hogs won points-in-the-paint (34-26), offensive rebounds (17-12), second-chance-points (11-8), turnovers (15-12), points-off-turnovers (16-15), fastbreak scoring (16-13), and assists (12-10).

Freshman guard Boogie Fland started and led Arkansas with 19 points (6-of-17 field goals, including 3-of-5 from 3, and 4-of-4 free throws) and 5 assists. Two Hogs recorded double-doubles — Aidoo (12 points, 10 reboudns, and 4 blocks) and Thiero (13 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block). Guards DJ Wagner and Johnell Davis each made 2-of-3 from 3 as each scored 10 points. Brazile contributed 6 points (including 2-of-2 shooting from 3), 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block. Davis and Aidoo — both under-performing on the season relative to their preseason All SEC projections — each finished with 3 turnovers.

Senior transfer guard Cam Carter led LSU with a game-high 27 points (7-of-15 field goals, including 3-of-6 from 3, and 10-of-10 free throws). Sears contributed 17 points (including 3-of-8 from 3 and 4-of-4 free thows). Big man Daimon Collins — a former Kentucky Wildcat who played for Calipari — had 7 points, 10 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 1 steal.

Calipari started Karter Knox, Jonas Aidoo, DJ Wagner, Boogie Fland, and Adou Thiero against LSU.

Arkansas was leading 11-4 early when LSU went on a 12-5 spurt to tie the game at 16-all. That’s when senior guard Nelly Davis fueled a 12-0 Hogs run with 5 points and 1 assist to put Arkansas ahead, 28-16, with 7 minutes left before halftime. But LSU outscored the visitors 18-8 to pull within 36-34 at the break.

Davis had 10 points (4-of-6 field goals, including 2-of-3 from 3) and Aidoo had 8 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks to lead the Razorbacks in the first half.

The Hogs shot 14-of-32 from the field (43.8%), including 4-of-8 from 3 (50.0%), and 4-of-5 from the free throw line (80.0%) in the opening half. LSU shot 10-of-29 overall from the field (34.5%), including 4-of-12 from 3 (33.3%) in the first half. The Tigers hit 10-of-10 freebies (100%) in the first 20 minutes.

Arkansas lost rebounds (21-17, including offensive rebounds 7-5), second-chance-points (6-4), blocks (7-4), and bench scoring (16-15) in the opening half. The Hogs won points-in-the-paint (20-10), turnovers (6-3), points-off-turnovers (7-0), and fastbreak scoring (6-3).