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

November 8, 2025

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. While Michigan State did not score a field goal over the final 6:02, Arkansas would not score after tying the game at 66. 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.

NOTES:

For the second game in a row, Arkansas’ starting lineup was Darius Acuff Jr., D.J. Wagner, Billy Richmond III, Trevon Brazile and Nick Pringle.
Michigan State won the opening tip.
Michigan State scored first on Coen Carr dunk at 19:06. Darius Acuff Jr. scored the first points for Arkansas with a 3-pointer at 18:38.
• Meleek Thomas, Karter Knox and Malique Ewin all came in at 15:30 as Arkansas’s first subs.
Arkansas is 0-3 all-time versus Michigan State. The previous two meetings were on neutral courts. The Spartans are set to play at Bud Walton Arena next season,
Coach Cal is 3-3 all-time versus Tom Izzo and Michigan State. The first five meetings between the two were played on neutral courts. Cal was 1-0 versus Izzo while at Memphis, 2-2 versus Izzo while head coach at Kentucky and now 0-1 at Arkansas.
Coach Calipari is 97-71 all-time in top 25 matchups, including a 14-25 record in road top 25 matchups and 0-3 in top 25 matchups while at Arkansas.
Coach Cal is 6-4 all-time when playing the AP #22 team, including a 1-1 mark in road games. Cal is now 17-5 when his teams are ranked #14 in the AP poll, including a 5-3 record in road games.
Arkansas is 33-7 all-time when ranked #14 in the AP poll, including an 8-3 record in road games. Arkansas is 4-4 all-time when playing AP #22, including 0-3 on the road. The Hogs’ last win over AP #22 was Feb. 23, 2011, when Arkansas beat Kentucky 77-76 in OT.

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