The Arkansas Razorbacks (6-2, 0-0 SEC) needed a comeback to do it, but they got the win over the Miami Hurricanes (3-5, 0-0 ACC) thanks to a strong performance by freshman point guard Boogie Fland.
The former five-star prospect scored a team-high 18 points in the game, five of which are what propelled the Razorbacks to the win. He hit a pair of free throws to tie the game at 71 and then a go-ahead three in the corner to give the Hogs the lead and the win.
"They were hard hedging, so just swinging the ball, swinging it from one side to the other and then getting it back and make a play down the stretch," Fland said after the game. "I mean, that's all I can do and just try to get the W for my team."
Arkansas had its share of struggles in the first half, with seven turnovers that Miami scored 11 points on. It looked like the team just wasn't on the same page, but Fland said after the game the team woke up at halftime.
"Definitely did get down, I feel like it was like a wake-up moment for us," Fland said. "I feel like we were lackadaisical through the start. They came out firing, they came out wanting it more than us, they were just hungrier. That woke us up."
It was a full team effort in the second half for the Razorbacks to make the comeback against the Hurricanes, who at one point led by 11 points and maintained a second-half lead until Fland's three with 1:48 left in the game. He was a big part of that effort in more than just the scoring column.
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The New York City native dished out four of the Razorbacks' 10 assists in the final 20 minutes (he had six total in the game) and kept the offense rolling, but Arkansas head coach John Calipari said he needed the ball in Fland's hands down the stretch.
"Boogie, watching how we were playing in the first half, I just told him, 'I’m going to have to put the ball in your hands and you’re going to have to make plays,' because he’s capable of doing it," Calipari said.
The win over the Hurricanes was a big confidence booster for the Razorbacks and is their first over a high-major team this season. Fland said he feels like the team is just getting started.
"It’s a long season, we're trying to find our groove," Fland said. "What is this game number eight? It is game number eight, it’s still a long season to go. I feel like you said just scratching the surface, staying confident out there. When the shots not falling, what can you do? But just think, keep shooting."
The Razorbacks will head home from Miami and are next in action on Saturday at home against Texas-San Antonio. That game will tip off at 1 p.m. CT and will stream on the SEC Network+.
