The Hoop Hogs picked up a much-needed win on the road Tuesday night, defeating Vanderbilt 90-77 in Memorial Gymnasium. After a tough showing in a loss to South Carolina, the Razorbacks responded with a strong offensive performance led by Johnell Davis to keep their postseason hopes alive with just one regular-season game remaining.
“Look, Vandy [Vanderbilt] obviously is a pretty good seed in the NCAA Tournament,” head coach John Calipari said. “They’ve gone in this league and done some unbelievable stuff. We needed to win a game, and we did.”
Game Summary
The first half was competitive early, with both teams trading baskets before Vanderbilt built a 29-20 lead with 8:53 left. Arkansas answered with a crucial run, taking a 37-35 lead with just under three minutes remaining in the half. The Hogs shot 51.5% from the field, 30% from three-point range, and 75% from the free-throw line to help build a 43-37 advantage at the break.
Arkansas kept the momentum going in the second half, using a layup from Davis with 12:04 left to extend the lead to 66-49. The Razorbacks dominated the paint, outscoring the Commodores 48-26 down low while also outrebounding them 42-31. Arkansas, still playing without key contributor Adou Thiero, controlled the game from there and secured the double-digit win to move one step closer to staying in the NCAA tournament conversation.
Who Stood Out for the Hogs
All seven Razorbacks who saw the floor contributed on both ends, scoring at least seven points and helping out defensively. Davis led the way with a game-high 21 points on 7 of 18 shooting, including 2 of 5 from three-point range. He also added four rebounds, two assists and a block in 39 minutes of play.
Trevon Brazile bounced back after a quiet outing against South Carolina. He scored 16 points on 6 of 8 shooting, knocked down 3 of 5 from deep and finished with a double-double by pulling down 14 rebounds. He also added two steals and two blocks, giving Arkansas a big lift on both ends of the floor.
“I’m happy for Trevon,” Calipari said. “It’s been a up and down road for him. I keep telling him, you got stuff that a normal guy doesn’t have. Now bring it.”
Looking Ahead for the Hogs
The Razorbacks will close out the regular season at home against No. 25 Mississippi State on March 8. Tipoff is set for 11 a.m. CST at Bud Walton Arena, with the game airing on SEC Network.