Hogs beat Bulldogs in NLR, 96-68
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NORTH LITTLE ROCK - Junior Marshawn Powell scored his 1,000th career point as the University of Arkansas basketball team nabbed a 95-68 Razorback victory over the Alabama A&M Bulldogs at Verizon Arena in North Little Rock.
"We started the game with great focus and played the game the right way, sharing the basketball, making the extra pass and hitting open shots," head coach Mike Anderson said.
It was a total team effort with 12 Razorbacks recording points as Arkansas routed the Bulldogs. Four Razorbacks scored in double figures. Powell needed just 19 points at the start of the game become the 35th player in Arkansas history to record 1,000 career points and the junior did just that, netting a game-high 20 points and six boards.
"You can see his confidence continuing to grow," Anderson said. "If you ask him he is trying to do everything he can to help our team."
Sophomore BJ Young finished the night just shy of a double-double with 13 points and a career-high nine assists in the 35th double-digit scoring game of his career. Freshman Jacorey Williams also put up some big numbers as he scored 10 points off 4-4 shooting. Rounding out the Razorbacks in double-figures was junior Coty Clarke, who recorded 10 points and eight rebounds.
Arkansas continued to show they can score down low as the team scored 54 of their 95 points in the paint. The Razorbacks also out-rebounded the Bulldogs 40-31.
To start out the contest the Razorbacks put on a lights-out shooting performance as they connected on their first seven shots for a total of 16 points. At that point the Razorbacks led the Bulldogs by 10 with a score of 16-6. In the first 3:25, Arkansas had five assists, one rebound, one steal and one block in the books. With 6:27 left on the clock in the first, the Bulldogs went on a 6-0 run to close the ever-growing Razorback lead to eight, 40-32. Arkansas would answer the Bulldogs with an 11-2 run to close the half, limiting the Bulldogs to just one basket in the final 5:26. The Razorbacks would enter the locker room with a 51-34 lead.
Arkansas capitalized on Alabama A&M turnovers scoring 21 points off 14 Bulldog turnovers in the first. Arkansas tallied nine steals and five blocks to add to their first half numbers.
The Hogs opened the second half in high fashion with a 23-8 run. With 14:36 remaining Arkansas went on a 10-0 run, which ended with a three-point basket from junior Kikko Haydar that sent the crowd to its feet, giving the Hogs a 74-42 lead. The Hogs and the Bulldogs would trade baskets for the remainder of the contest as the Razorbacks led 29-26 the rest of the way, closing out the game with a final score of 95-68.
"We appreciated fans showing up, and there was a lot of energy in the building tonight," Anderson said.
The Razorbacks will return to Fayetteville for their next contest as they take on Northwestern State at Bud Walton Arena at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 29.