The Hoop Hogs put on a show in Bud Walton Arena in their first exhibition game, rolling past Cincinnati 89-61. Cincinnati narrowly took down Michigan in their first exhibition, but Arkansas jumped out early and never looked back.
Game Summary
The Hogs got things started with a Trevon Brazile dunk for the first points of the game, followed by a three-pointer from the Bearcats to take a brief lead. Karter Knox answered with a step-back three to put the Hogs ahead 5-3, a lead they would never relinquish. Arkansas shot 53.1% from the field in the first half, including 35.7% from three-point range, to take a commanding 48-28 lead into halftime.
The story stayed the same in the second half, as the Hogs were clearly the better team on the floor. Arkansas knocked down shots, played tough defense, and pushed the tempo with several highlight plays from multiple players. The Hogs finished with nine steals and six blocks, leading to 13 points off turnovers. Nearly half of their points came in the paint ,44, and they grabbed seven offensive rebounds. Arkansas only trailed for 34 seconds and cruised to an 89-61 win in its first exhibition.
Who Stood Out for the Hoop Hogs
Freshmen Meleek Thomas and Darius Acuff Jr. led the way in scoring. Thomas finished with a team-high 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting, while Acuff added 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Thomas also led the team in rebounds with seven, and both freshmen recorded a steal. The duo showed why they were five-star prospects and looked ready to compete immediately.
Trevon Brazile, entering his fourth season with the program, carried over his strong play from the end of last season. He posted 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting, five rebounds, three assists, and a team-high three blocks. Brazile played a key role in last year’s Sweet 16 run and appears poised for another big season.
Sophomores Karter Knox and Billy Richmond III also looked sharp. Knox tallied 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting with four assists, two rebounds, and a steal. After withdrawing from the NBA Draft, he returns as a major contributor for this year’s team. Richmond brought energy on defense, leading the team with two steals while adding 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting and several highlight-reel dunks in transition.
Looking Ahead for the Hoop Hogs
Arkansas will have one more exhibition before the regular season tips off. The Hogs will travel to Memphis to take on the Tigers on Oct. 27 at 8 p.m. CST in FedExForum. The game will be streamed on ESPNU.