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Pregame Stuff
No. 15 Arkansas (25-7, 13-5 SEC) vs. Texas A&M (22-11, 9-9 SEC)
Tipoff: Noon CT
TV: ESPN
Point spread: Arkansas, -6.5
O/U: 138.5
ESPN BPI: Arkansas has 67.9% chance to win, favored by 5.0 points
BartTorvik: Arkansas has 65% chance to win, favored by 3.8 points (proj. score: 72-68)
**Winner advances to SEC Tournament championship game and will face winner of Tennessee-Kentucky at noon CT Sunday**
NOTES
~Texas A&M beat Florida 83-80 in overtime to reach the quarterfinals and then knocked off top-seed Auburn 67-62 to make the SEC Tournament semifinals. Arkansas, meanwhile, cruised to a 79-67 win over LSU in its first game in the tournament.
~The Aggies won their first four SEC games, including a home win over the Razorbacks, but then lost eight straight games. Since then, they’ve won seven of eight games to get back on the bubble.
~In the two teams’ regular-season matchups, Texas A&M hung on for an 86-81 win in College Station back on Jan. 8 and then, two weeks later, Arkansas beat the Aggies 76-73 in overtime at Bud Walton Arena. Click here and here to read HawgBeat’s key takeaways from those games.
~Texas A&M is No. 51 in the latest NET rankings, which means it is just outside of Quadrant 1 for Arkansas. It needs to crack the top 50 to be another Q1 opportunity for the Razorbacks. It will definitely be a Q1 for the Aggies because Arkansas is at No. 20.
15:49, 1H - Texas A&M 6, Arkansas 2
The Razorbacks are off to another sluggish start offensively, with two turnovers and only one field goal in seven attempts before the first media timeout. The Aggies, meanwhile, have knocked down a pair of 3s.
11:31, 1H - Texas A&M 13, Arkansas 8
The Aggies cooled off a little bit, but the Hogs are still shooting just 30.8 percent and have missed all four of their 3s -- while Texas A&M has made 3 of 7. JD Notae picked up his second foul just before the U12 media timeout.
7:40, 1H - Texas A&M 17, Arkansas 11
It has been a struggle for the Razorbacks offensively. Not only are they shooting 26.3 percent from the floor and have missed all six 3s, but they also have seven turnovers. Arkansas has gone 3 minutes and 17 seconds without a basket.
What's keeping it in the game is strong defense on the other end of the floor, as the Aggies are shooting just 30 percent.
2:57, 1H - Texas A&M 27, Arkansas 20
Stanley Umude is trying to keep the Razorbacks in the game, scoring nine of their first 18 points. However, the Aggies have maintained a steady lead, stretching it to 10 points a few times.
HALF - Texas A&M 36, Arkansas 24
Arkansas improved its shooting to 39.3 percent, but committed nine turnovers that led to 13 points for the Aggies. Notae picked up his third foul with less than two minutes to go in the half.
15:58, 2H - Texas A&M 41, Arkansas 35
It's been slow moving, but the Razorbacks have managed to cut their deficit in half before the first media timeout of the second half. Davonte Davis will be trying to complete a 3-point play with a free throw when play resumes. It will be the Razorbacks' fourth free throw of the half after attempting just two in the entire first half.
14:41, 2H - Texas A&M 47, Arkansas 36
Davis completed the 3-point play, but the Aggies responded with a 6-0 run -- all by Quenton Jackson. The last was a dunk following another Arkansas turnover. That prompted a timeout by Eric Musselman.
11:57, 2H - Texas A&M 47, Arkansas 44
Eight straight points by the Razorbacks, including a pair of 3s by Stanley Umude, has pulled Arkansas within 3 -- and prompted a timeout by Buzz Williams. It's the closest Arkansas has been since the start of the game, when the Aggies opened the scoring with two 3-pointers.
8:00, 2H - Texas A&M 60, Arkansas 51
Immediately after the Razorbacks cut it to three, Texas A&M scored a couple of quick baskets and eventually stretch its lead back to 11. Umude has a game-high 20 points, while Au'Diese Toney has 12. Notae is just 2 of 8 from the floor for 5 points.
3:46, 2H - Texas A&M 76, Arkansas 59
It has been all Texas A&M since Arkansas pulled within 3. The Aggies took control of the game with a 10-0 run and have led by as many as 19 points.
FINAL - Texas A&M 82, Arkansas 64
Texas A&M cruised to the win and will play in tomorrow's SEC Championship Game. The Razorbacks will now wait for Selection Sunday to find out its NCAA Tournament draw.
