Arkansas Suffers Heartbreaker at Mississippi State

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Makhi Mitchell scored a career-high 21 points and made several big plays in the second half, but Josh Hubbard sank a 3-pointer with 58 seconds left to put Mississippi State up one, 67-67, and the Bulldogs made three free throw inside the final 10 seconds to win, 71-67, Saturday afternoon.

Hubbard finished with 19 points and Cameron Matthews had 17, going 6-of-7 from the field, with 10 rebounds. Matthews helped the Bulldogs outrebound Arkansas, 42-27 including 17 offensive boards. Matthews was also 5-of-10 at the free throw line as State was 19-of-32 at the line compared to Arkansas being 14-of-19.

Mitchell scored 15 of his 21 points in the second half with six rebounds, a steal and two blocked shots. Overall, Mitchell was 8-of-12 from the field and 5-of-5 at the line.

His first big play of the second half came with 12:28 left when he converted an old-fashioned 3-point play to tie the game at 46. He then blocked a shot and made a layup to put the Hogs up two, 48-46. Later, with the score tied at 48, recorded a steal, but the Razorbacks could not capitalize. With 3:42 left in the game, Mitchell made two free throws to knot the game at 59 and had a dunk to square the game at 61. Two possessions later with 2:12 left, he grabbed an offensive rebound and made the putback for a 63-61 Arkansas lead.

The lead bounced back and forth over the next minute with Arkansas taking its last lead, 65-63, on an El Ellis jumper in the paint prior to Hubbard’s 3-pointer to set up the Bulldogs’ final run.

Mississippi State led 34-29 at the break. The Bulldogs out-rebounded the Razorbacks 23-11 in the period and were 7-of-12 at the line, compared to 3-of-4 by the Hogs.

Khalif Battle scored 18 points and Ellis had four assists.

The Razorbacks stay on the road to play at Texas A&M on Tuesday (Feb. 20) at 6 pm (CT).

NOTES

• Arkansas starters were El Ellis, Khalif Battle, Davonte Davis, Tramon Mark, Jalen Graham and Chandler Lawson.
• Arkansas controlled the opening tip.
• Khalif Battle knifed in to grab the opening tip and scored the first points of the game with a layup at 19:55.
• Keyon Menifield Jr., was the first Razorback sub.

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