Arkansas Falls to No. 8 Florida in Fayetteville

Arkansas is still looking for its first conference win of the season after a 71-63 loss to Florida. The Hogs once again started off hot, but offensive struggles down the stretch ended up being their downfall.

“We gave ourselves a chance,” head coach John Calipari said. “Then every time it was critical, there’s a missed free throw.”

Game Summary

Arkansas jumped out to a nine-point lead with 16:52 left in the first half. After the Hogs built their nine-point lead, the Gators’ offense started coming back. With 11:47 left in the half, Florida tied the game 13-13. The Hogs never regained the lead after that. In the first half, the Hogs shot only 27.6% from the field, 16.7% from behind the three-point line, and 75% from the free throw line. Florida, on the other hand, shot slightly better in the first half, going 31.4% from the field, 18.8% from deep, and 50% from the foul line. The Gators would go into halftime with a 28-25 lead.

“I’m happy how we’re starting games,” Calipari said. “But there’s a stretch in the middle where we come down. In this game, we just missed layups. It’s something different every game.”

The offensive woes continued in the second half for the Hogs. They went on a few runs, but Florida had an answer every time the Hogs cut into the lead. With 6:12 left in the game, DJ Wagner had a dunk that brought the game within three points. It seemed like the Hogs could make the game interesting, but the Gators then responded with a 7-0 run to make it a 10-point game again. Arkansas shot poorly as a team, knocking down only 30% from the field, 18.8% from three-point range, and 68.6% from the foul line. The Hogs could not recover to finish the game, losing 71-63.

Who Stood Out for Arkansas

Adou Thiero has solidified himself as the Hogs’ go-to guy, leading the team in points once again. He ended the game with 17 points on 4-of-10 shooting, and got to the free throw line, hitting 9 of 12 from the foul line. He also had three rebounds, a steal, and a block in only 20 minutes before fouling out in the second half.

Jonas Aidoo was one rebound away from recording his second double-double of the season. He started off slow in conference play, combining for six points and 10 rebounds in the first two conference games, but turned it around and recorded 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting, nine rebounds, three blocks, and two assists against the Gators.

“We got a tough one coming up,” Calipari said. “So, we got to do something tomorrow, do something on Monday, travel and go on the road and try to get this thing right.”

Looking Ahead

The Hoop Hogs will go on the road to try and secure their first conference win of the season as they take on the LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge, LA on Jan. 14 on SEC Network, with tipoff set for 8 p.m.