Arkansas Defense Gets Mean

Mike Cawood November 12, 2019

FAYETTEVILLE – For the second straight game, Arkansas’ defense set the tone and the Razorback offense pulled away late in a 66-43 win over North Texas Tuesday night at Bud Walton Arena.

Isaiah Joe and Mason Jones each scored 16 to lead the Razorbacks, while Jimmy Whitt Jr., added 13 points. On the other end, North Texas only put one player in double figures as Deng Geu finished with 10 points.

The Razorbacks started the game on a 9-0 run while their defense forced the Mean Green to miss their first 11 shots. Overall, Arkansas held North Texas to 33.3 percent shooting (17-of-51) from the field and 11.8 percent shooting from 3-point range (2-of-17) while forcing North Texas into several shot clock violations.

Arkansas took a 12-point lead into the locker room but came out slow to start the second half. North Texas trimmed its deficit to five (29-24) to start the period and only trailed by five on two other occasions, the last coming with 10:20 left to play. However, that is as close as UNT would get. Arkansas used another 9-0 run – capped by a dunk from Adrio Bailey – and the Razorbacks led by double digits the rest of the way.

Arkansas returns to action Saturday (Nov. 19) versus Montana. Tipoff at Bud Walton Arena is set for 4 pm.

FIRST HALF: Arkansas 28 – North Texas 16

Arkansas led 9-0 at the 12-minute media timeout (11:51). The Hogs held UNT to 0-1of-11 shooting to start the game.
North Texas ended the drought with a Zachary Simmons jumper in the lane coming out of the media timeout.
Arkansas got a pair of free throws from Jalen Harris followed by a steal and fastbreak layup by Isaiah Joe to give the Hogs a 28-16 lead.
While Arkansas’ offense struggled at times in the first half, its defense was impressive, holding the Mean Green to 26.9 percent shooting from the field, 0-of-9 from 3-point range, and forcing seven turnovers.
Arkansas shot 47.8 percent from the field.
Jimmy Whitt Jr, led the Razorbacks with nine first-half points, while Mason Jones and Isaiah Joe each scored five.

SECOND HALF: Arkansas Uses 9-0 Run to Pull Away

North Texas opened the second half with a 6-1 run to cut its deficit to five (29-24).
Isaiah Joe hit a 3-pointer and Mason Jones converted an old-fashion 3-point play to put the Razorbacks back up 11 (37-26) at the 14:48 mark.
North Texas got to within five a total of three times, the last coming at 10:20 (38-33). Mason Jones then started a 9-0 run with two free throws. Isaiah Joe also hit two from the line and hit a fastbreak 3-pointer for a 12-point lead. Adrio Bailey capped the 9-0 run with a dunk off a missed shot and the Razorbacks maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way.

GAME NOTES

Arkansas’ starting lineup was Jimmy Whitt (G) – Isaiah Joe (G) – Desi Sills (G) – Mason Jones (G) – Adrio Bailey (F) for the second consecutive game.
Arkansas improves to 15-0 all-time versus North Texas, a series that dates back to the 1932-33 season.
Arkansas is 2-0 to start a season for the 13th time over the last 17 seasons.
Arkansas won the tip for the second straight game.
Mason Jones scored the first points, a jumper at the 18:41 mark.
Arkansas has held its first two opponents to just 43 points. The last time Arkansas held opponents to under 50 points in back-to-back games was 14 years ago when the Razorbacks defeated UL Monroe 85-43 on Dec. 31, 2004 and defeated Ole Miss 69-46 on Jan. 5, 2005.
Arkansas has held its opponents to a combined 4-of-45 (8.9 percent) from 3-point range through two games.
After committing 21 turnovers in game one, Arkansas only committed 10 versus North Texas.
Isaiah Joe missed his first two 3-pointers before making his last four. He only needs 32 more 3-pointers to enter the Arkansas all-time top 10.
Isaiah Joe has made at least three, 3-pointers in a game 22 times and has scored in double figures 30 times.
Mason Jones is 13-of-13 from the free throw line this season, including 9-of-9 Tuesday versus North Texas. Dating back to the win at Vanderbilt last season (Mar. 6, 2019), Jones has made 22 straight. (Made his last free throw attempt at Vandy, was 4-of-4 at Providence and at Indiana last season, was 4-of-4 in the season opener versus Rice and 9-of-9 versus North Texas). The school record for consecutive free throws made (one record) is 48 by Ricky Medlock over 20 games in the 1974-75 season.
Mason Jones has led the team in scoring 12 times in his career and the team is 9-3 in such games.
Mason Jones led the team in scoring, rebounding and assists. It was the fifth time he has led the team in both scoring and assists in the same game.
Adrio Bailey had a career-high four steals. In the season opener, he had a career-high nine rebounds.

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