Basketball (M)

#14/15 Arkansas Edged by #22/21 Michigan State, 69-66

November 8, 2025
Final Stats

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State opened the second half with a 9-3 run, grabbed a 45-42 lead and held off a late Arkansas charge to win, 69-66, Saturday night at the Breslin Center.

The #22/21 Spartans turned the tables on #14/15 Arkansas in the second half, shooting 45.6% from the field and holding the Razorbacks to just 28.6% shooting. In the first half, Arkansas shot 50% from the field while the Spartans made just 37.8%.

Michigan State, which was just 1-of-14 from 3-point range, led by as many as eight (66-58) with 5:21 left before Arkansas went on an 8-0 run, capped by a Nick Pringle dunk and later a free throw to tie the game at 66 with 1:41 left. However, Arkansas would not score the rest of the game and Michigan State made three free throws over the span to secure the win.

Cameron Ward led Michigan State with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Coen Carr and Jaxon Kohler each had seven rebounds and scored 15 and 10 points, respectively. Jeremy Fears Jr. dished out nine assists.

Arkansas was led by Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas, each scoring 16 points. D.J. Wagner finished with 13 points. Acuff added six assists with just one turnover.

Arkansas will return home to play four straight home games starting Tuesday (Nov. 11) versus Central Arkansas. Other games will be played versus Samford (Nov. 14), Winthrop (Nov. 18) and Jackson State (Nov. 21). All four games are set to begin at 7 pm.

FIRST HALF: ARK: 39 – MSU: 36

  • Michigan State scored first before Arkansas scored the next six points. The Spartans then went on an 8-0 run, forcing a Razorback timeout, to lead 10-6.
  • The Hogs regained the lead, 19-18, with 10:24 left on a Billy Richmond III layup.
  • The lead bounced back and forth until Darius Acuff Jr. sank a jumper with 2:24 left to put the Razorbacks up 33-32. Meleek Thomas followed with a floater in the lane and Arkansas held the lead at the break.
  • However, Jaxon Kohler grabbed an offensive rebound and scored as the horn sounded to provide the 39-36 score at halftime.
  • Arkansas shot 50% from the field and was 5-of-14 from 3-point range. The Spartans only shot 38% thanks to going 0-of-7 from 3-point range.
  • Arkansas committed 10 first-half turnovers.
  • Acuff led Arkansas with 10 points and Thomas added nine.
  • Coen Carr and Cameron Ward each scored 12 to lead MSU.

 

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