#12/13 Arkansas Pulls Out Win Over Aggies, Close Regular Season With 11-Straight in the SEC

Mike Cawood March 6, 2021

FAYETTEVILLE – For the second straight game, Player of the Year candidate Moses Moody tied his season high with 28 points. However, it was his blocked shot on a Texas A&M dunk attempt with the game tied and 1:49 left to play that led #12/13 Arkansas to an 87-80 victory over Texas A&M Saturday afternoon at Bud Walton Arena.

The win closes the regular season for both programs and the Razorbacks improve to 21-5 overall, 13-4 in the SEC. The win was the 11th in a row in SEC play for the Razorbacks, the best streak in the SEC this season and ties the 1993-94 national championship team for most consecutive league wins. (The ’943-94 team also won its final 11 SEC games that season.) Texas A&M falls to 8-9 overall, 2-8 in the SEC.

Moody made a career-high five 3-pointers (5-of-8) with two assists, two steals and the crucial block.

Graduate senior Jalen Tate and freshman Davonte Davis also made key plays down the stretch to lead to the win.

Down two (71-69) with 4:58 left, Arkansas outscored the Aggies 18-9 down the stretch. However, Texas A&M was up two again, 76-74, with two minutes left. Justin Smith got an offensive rebound and put-back to tie the game. On the ensuing possession, Moody had his blocked shot. However, Arkansas, on an apparent old-fashion 3-point opportunity, had a call reversed on them after review, changing a block to a charge to give the Aggies the ball. Savion Flagg capitalized with a put-back to give his team the lead, 78-76, with 1:13 left.

Undaunted, Moody drained a 3-pointer to put his team up one, 79-78 – a lead the Hogs would not relinquish.

Texas A&M called a timeout once crossing half-court with 48 ticks left. On the inbounds play. Davis tipped the pass. Tate corralled the loose ball and tipped the ball back to Davis. Davis then threw the ball ahead for a Justin Smith dunk and a 3-point lead. A&M had a good look at 3-pointer in the right corner but missed. JD Notae came down with the rebound, was fouled and he sank both free throws for a five-point cushion.

Emanuel Miller was fouled with 14 seconds left and he made both free throws. Notae was once again fouled and made both to put the Hogs back up by five. Davis then sealed the game with a steal and a dunk.

Tate finished with 22 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Davis had 12 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals. Smith, who played all 40 minutes, added 11 points.

Miller and Quentin Jackson each scored 23 points for the Aggies with Miller adding 10 rebounds.

Arkansas will be the #2 seed at next week’s SEC Tournament (Nashville, Tenn.). The Razorbacks receive a double-bye and will not play until the quarterfinal round on Friday (Mar. 12) at 6 pm.

FIRST HALF: Arkansas 38 – Texas A&M 41

Texas A&M made 3-of-its-first-4 triples but Arkansas answered with a Connor Vanover 2-pointer, a Moses Moody 3-pointer and a Moody dunk to lead 14-13 at the first media timeout (15:25).
Texas A&M used a 9-0 run to lead 26-19 and force a Razorback timeout at 11:28.
The Aggies then used another 9-0 run to take a 35-21 lead with 6:48 left. The Aggies made 7-of-12 2-pointers to start the game.
Jalen Tate led a Razorbacks 9-2 push to make their deficit seven (37-30) with 3:00 left. Tate came out the timeout with a basket to make it a 5-point game.
Arkansas made 4-of-its-last-5 shots, including a finger-role by Moses Moody with two seconds left to the Hogs to withing three, 41-38, at the break.
Moses Moody had 15 first-half points and Jalen Tate 14.
Quentin Jackson led the Aggies with 14 points.
Texas A&M shot 48.5 percent and the Razorbacks were at 41.9%.

SECOND HALF: Arkansas 49 – Texas A&M 39

Texas A&M came out hot to start the second half, but Arkansas rallied to 4-of-5 shots, including a 3-pointer by Moses Moody, to even the score in the period (14-14) and force an A&M timeout. (A&M led 55-52)
Arkansas got back-to-back baskets, including a jumper by Jalen Tate in the lane, to give Arkansas its first lead (58-57) since early in the first half.
After two Moses Moody free throws to tie the game, 60-60, Texas A&M came back down to regain the lead, 62-60.
JD Notae sank a 3-pointer at 9:42 as part of a 7-2 run to put the Hogs up 67-64.
JD Notae was 6-of-6 at the free throw line inside the final four minutes during the 18-9 run to close the game.
Arkansas shot 60 percent from the field in the second half, while A&M shot 53.6 percent.
Arkansas forced 11 second-half turnover while committing just five.
Justin Smith, Moses Moody, Davonte Davis and Jalen Tate each played all 40 minutes of the second half.
Smith made 4-of-5 FG, Davis was 4-of-6, Moody was 4-of-6 and Tate was 4-of-9. Moody made 3-of-4 3-pointers.

GAME NOTES

This game was originally scheduled for Feb. 6 but was postponed due to COVID-19 protocols within the Texas A&M program. The Aggies did not play a game in the month of February, including a canceled game with Arkansas set for Feb. 20 in Bryan-College Station.
Arkansas is now 21-8 when playing as the #12 in the AP poll and is 401-114 when playing as a ranked opponent. Eric Musselman is 43-12 when playing as a ranked team, 5-0 at Arkansas.
Arkansas is now 5-4 this year when trailing at halftime, 4-1 at home. Eric Musselman is 34-44 as a head coach in such games, 9-15 at Arkansas.
Arkansas is now 1-1 in games when the contest is tied with five minutes to go. (Arkansas was tied with five minutes to go and lost at Oklahoma State.) Arkansas is now 1-4 when trailing with two minutes to go.
Arkansas is now 104-57 versus Texas A&M, the Razorbacks’ oldest and most common opponent. Arkansas is 59-15 versus the Aggies in Fayetteville. Texas A&M is one of six teams Arkansas has faced over 100 times and one of three teams it has beaten over 100 times.
In addition to winning 11-straight SEC games for the second time in school history, Arkansas won 11 straight SWC game three times, was a perfect 16-0 in the SWC in 1976-77 as part of an 18-game SWC win streak spanning three seasons.
Arkansas’ 13 conference wins ties for the second-best win total in program history and are the most since going 14-2 in the national championship season (1993-94). Arkansas was 13-3 in its first season in the SEC (1991-92). Arkansas was one game shy of a full 18-game SEC schedule this season as a previous game with Texas A&M was canceled due to COVID-19 protocols in the Aggie program.
Arkansas’ starting lineup was Jalen Tate (G) – Davonte Davis (G) – Moses Moody (G) – Justin Smith (F) – Connor Vanover (F) for the eighth consecutive game. The lineup is 8-0.
Texas A&M won the opening tip. Arkansas is 9-3 when the opponent controls the tip.
Texas A&M’s Quentin Jackson scored the game’s first points, a dunk off the opening tip at 19:55. Arkansas’ first points came from Moses Moody, a 3-pointer in the right corner at 19:36. Arkansas is 6-2 when the opponent scores first.
JD Notae was the first sub for Arkansas for a team-best 11th time. Arkansas is 10-1 when Notae is the first sub.
With Arkansas shooting 60 percent from the field in the second half, the Hogs have shot at least 50% from the field in at least one half in six straight games. Arkansas shot 50% from the field for the eighth time. Eric Musselman is 49-2 as a collegiate head coach when his teams shoot 50% – 11-1 at Arkansas. (Arkansas lost at Tennessee this season when shooting 52.7 percent from the field.)
During its current eight-game win streak, Arkansas is 144-of-186 (77.4%) at the free throw line.
Moses Moody had a career-high five 3-pointers made. Over the last seven games, Moody is 20-of-44 (45.5%) from 3-point range., making a then career-high 4 at UK, making 4 at USC and making a career-high 5 vs TX A&M.
Moses Moody leads the team in scoring, is fourth in the SEC in scoring and fourth among NCAA freshmen in scoring. However, he has now only led the team in scoring 10 times in 26 games this season. Moody has at least five rebounds in Arkansas’ current eight-game win streak and he has scored at least 16 points five times, reaching double digits in all eight.
The last three games, Davis has 19 rebounds – 13 assists – 5 steals.
Jalen Tate was just 1-of-7 shooting the last two games before making 9-of-17 versus the Aggies and scored over 20 points for the first time since scoring 25 at Vanderbilt (Jan. 23). His seven rebounds tied a season-best.
Justin Smith played all 40 minutes. The last time a player played all 40 minutes in a regulation game was Jimmy Whitt Jr. in last year’s home finale versus LSU.
With Smith playing 20 minutes of both halves, he has played all 20 minutes of a half seven times this season and at least once in five straight games. Moody has played all 40 minutes of a second half 12 times this season, including seven straight. Tate and Davis each played all 40 minutes of the second half for the first time this season.

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