NORMAN. – A back-and-forth second half went down to the final minute-and-a-half with #15/16 Arkansas pulling out an 83-79 victory over Oklahoma at the Sooners’ Lloyd Noble Center Tuesday night.
Read more: Arkansas wins at OURazorback rookies Daius Acuff Jr. (21 points and nine assists) and Meleek Thomas (16 points) combined for 24 second-half points to lead the way.
Oklahoma’s Nigel Pack drained a 3-pointer with 1:27 left that put the Sooners up two (79-77). On the ensuing possession, Acuff went to the line and went 1-of-2 to cut the Razorback deficit to one. Arkansas got a stop on the defensive end and Acuff grabbed the rebound, went coast-to-coast and converted an old-fashion, 3-point play for a 2-point Arkansas lead with 20 seconds left. On Oklahoma’s next possession, Trevon Brazile blocked a shot and Thomas got the rebound. He was fouled and made both free throws with 11 seconds left to seal the win.
Arkansas, which entered the game leading the SEC in 3-point shooting, was just 2-of-17 from deep. However, the Razorbacks out-scored the Sooners, 56-30, in the paint and shot 71.7% (33-of-46) from 2-point range, the program’s sixth-best effort on 2-point attempts.
On the defensive side, Oklahoma was 7-of-16 from 3-point range in the first half but the Hogs limited the Sooners to 3-of-11 beyond the arc in the second half.
In addition to Acuff and Thomas, Arkansas got 12 points from Malique Ewin and 11 points from Karter Knox. Brazile put another solid stat line with seven points, seven rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots.
Pack, who was 6-of-11 from 3PT, finished with a game-high 22 points. Mohamed Wague had 12 rebounds (six on the offensive end).
Arkansas returns to Bud Walton Arena to host Kentucky on Saturday. Tipoff is set for 5:30 pm (CT) and the game will be televised on ESPN.