Courtesy of Mike Cawood
DALLAS – Trevon Brazile had his third double-double of the season with 24 points (one shy of a career high) and 10 rebounds while Darius Acuff Jr. and Karter Knox each scored 20 points to lead #17 Arkansas to a 93-86 victory over #16 Texas Tech in the in the RevoCruit Rematch at American Airlines Center.
Arkansas only led for 6:36 but took the lead for good, down one (77-76) with 5:41 left, on a Brazile jumper in the lane. After a D.J. Wagner steal, Brazile added two free throws to put the hogs up three. On the ensuing possession, Meleek Thomas came up with a key defensive rebound which eventually led to a Brazile dunk for a five-point cushion with 4:20 left.
Holding a 3-point lead with 2:44 left, Brazile got an offensive rebound and putback to start an 8-1 run to put the game out of reach.
Overall, Arkansas out-scored the Red Raiders, 15-9, down the stretch with Brazile scoring 10 points.
Arkansas out-rebounded Tech, 40-33, including 25-15 in the second half.
Brazile was 4-of-5 from 3-point range while Knox was 3-of-4 from 3-point range. Knox added six rebounds while Acuff had eight assists. Brazile and Knox also added key blocked shots down the stretch.
Texas Tech was led by JT Toppin’s 30 points (14-of-22 FG) and 11 rebounds. Christian Anderson finished with 25 points and 11 assists.
Arkansas returns to Bud Walton Arena to host Queens on Tuesday (Dec. 16). Tipoff is set for 8 pm and the game will be televised on SEC Network.
FIRST HALF: ARK: 43 – TTU: 49
• Texas Tech scored first and held the lead for 19:09 of the period .
• The Raiders led by as many as 10 (36-26) with 5:55 left.
• Arkansas made six straight in a 10-3 run to get to within three (39-36).
• After a Tech 3-pointer, Arkansas then went on a 6-0 run to take its first lead, 43-42 with 1:40 left after a Karter Knox 3-pointer.
• However, Tech scored the last seven points of the first half to lead by six at the break.
• Knox led Arkansas with 12 points, going 2-of-3 from 3-point range. Darius Acuff Jr. added seven points and six assists.
• There were only five combined turnovers and three combined steals in the half.
• JT Toppin and Christian Anderson each scored 15 to lead Texas Tech.
• Both teams shot over 50% or the half but were a combined 7-of-14 at the line.
• The 45 points by Texas Tech were the most by a Razorback opponent in the first half this season. Duke and Winthrop each scored 41 points.
SECOND HALF: ARK: 50 – TTU: 37
• Brazile scored 18 of his 24 points in the second half. Knox scored 13 in the period.
• Arkansas shot 51.5% in the second half while holding Tech to 44.1%. Also, Arkansas was 5-of-8 from 3-point and held Tech to 5-of-16 from deep.
• Arkansas had five blocked shots in the second half.
NOTES:
• Arkansas’ starting lineup was Darius Acuff Jr., D.J. Wagner, Karter Knox, Trevon Brazile and Nick Pringle.
• Texas Tech’s LeJuan Watts scored the game’s first points on a jumper at the left block at 19:33. D.J. Wagner scored the first points for Arkansas, a layup at 18:02.
• Arkansas’s first sub was Meleek Thomas.
• Arkansas and former Southwest Conference rival Texas Tech have now met on 82 occasions with the win the series is tied at 41-41.
• The Red Raiders now lead the series, 7-6, in games played on neutral courts and 3-2 in games played in Dallas. HOWEVER: Arkansas is 2-0 versus Texas Tech in games played in American Airlines Center, beating the Red Raiders, 78-65, in the O’Reilly Christmas Classic (Dec. 21, 2005). The other three meetings in Dallas came in the Southwest Tournament. Tech won in the 1976 SWC semis in Moody Coliseum, won in the 1985 SWC Championship in Reunion Arena and won in the 1987 SWC quarters in Reunion Arena.
• Overall, Arkansas has won 11 of the last 15 meetings.
• Arkansas is 25-14 all-time in Dallas thanks, in part, to winning four SWC Tournament titles in Reunion Arena (1982, ’89, ’90 and ’91).
• Arkansas is 3-3 in American Airlines Center with its a win over Texas Tech. Coach Calipari is 3-1 all-time in American Airlines Center.
• Darius Acuff Jr. has at least 8 assists in each of the last 3 games (10 vs Louisville, 8 vs Fresno State and 8 vs Texas Tech).
• Head coach John Calipari is 15 wins shy of 900 for his career.
