Arkansas Takes Down the Tigers

FAYETTEVILLE – For the second-straight game, Zvonimir Ivisic had a big game, scoring 25 points and blocking four shots, to lead Arkansas to a 79-58 victory over LSU Wednesday night at Bud Walton Arena.

Ivisic was 10-of-13 from the field, including 3=of-5 from 3-point range, with four dunks. As well as he played, head coach John Calipari praised Billy Richmond III for his energy and effort saying, “he changed the game.”

Richmond finished with four points, four assists and three rebounds. Those four points came during a 6-0 run that put the Hogs up eight with 12:30 to play and the Razorbacks held the lead the rest of the game.

After a back-and-forth first half, LSU scored first to start the second half and led by three. The teams traded baskets until the game was tied at 41 with 16:05 left. Karter Knox broke the tie to give the Hogs a lead it would not relinquish. However, LSU stayed close before that decisive 6-0 run to give Arkansas its eight-point lead, which was the largest lead of the night be either team to that point.

Arkansas won several key stats that led to the victory. Arkansas out-rebounded LSU, 39-33. The Razorbacks are 11-1 this season when out-rebounding their opponent. Arkansas only committed 10 fouls, the second-fewest by the Hogs in an SEC game. With that, LSU was just 3-of-6 from the free throw line, compared the Tigers going 26-of-28 at the line versus Arkansas earlier this season.

Johnell Davis, who was a team-best +16, scored 11 points and continued his strong defense by getting three steals. D.J. Wagner added 10 points and seven assists.

Robert Miller III led LSU with 16 points off the bench. Cam Carter had 13 points. He and Jordan Spears combined for 44 points in the teams’ first meeting, but only had 15 combined points tonight.

Arkansas will hit the road for back-to-back road games, facing #8/9 Texas A&M on Saturday at 11 am (CT) followed by a game at current #1 Auburn on Wednesday.

FIRST HALF: Arkansas: 34 – LSU: 35

• The first half was a back-and-forth contest with five ties and eight lead changes. Arkansas led for 10:08 and LSU led for 8:07. The largest lead was five points for Arkansas and five points for LSU.
• The last lead change came in the final seconds of the half when Vyktorius Miller hit a 3-pointer with four ticks left.
• Arkansas had eight assists, including five from D.J. Wagner, on 13 made baskets and LSU had 10 assists on 15 made baskets.
• Zvonimir Ivisic had three blocked shots in the first half and led the Hogs with 11 points.

SECOND HALF: Arkansas: 36 – LSU: 23

• Arkansas went on a run starting at the 13:53 mark in the second half, thanks to four points from Billy Richmond III and a Adou Thiero jumper, and the Razorbacks led by eight (53-45) with 12:29 left which was the largest lead by either team up to that point.
• LSU had 10 assists in the first half, three in the second half.
• Ivisic had 14 points in the second half, going 6-of-7 from the field.
• Arkansas shot 60% from the field in the half while holding LSU to 35.7%.

GAME NOTES:

• For the fourth-straight game, Arkansas’ starting lineup was D.J. Wagner, Johnell Davis, Karter Knox, Adou Thiero and Zvonimir Ivisic.
• Arkansas won the opening tip. The Hogs have won the tip 13 of 21 games this season.
• Cam Carter scored the game’s first points with a 3-pointer at 19:38. Zvonimir Ivisic scored Arkansas’ first points with a layup at 17:51.
• Jonas Aidoo was Arkansas’ first sub.
• Arkansas trailed by one at the half but came back to win. The Razorbacks are 6-7 this year when trailing at the half.
• Arkansas held LSU to 1-of-5 shooting from 3-point range in the second half. Over the last seven games, Arkansas is holding its opponents to 21.4% (12-of-56) from 3-point range in the second half.
• Arkansas blocked seven shots. Making the 15th time this season it has blocked at least five shots in a game.
• Arkansas has won six of the last nine meetings versus LSU and leads the all-time series, 44-37. The Hogs lead 25-8 in games played in Fayetteville.
• Since joining the SEC, Arkansas leads the series 40-32 overall.
• Ivisic scored a career-high 27 points in his last outing (vs Alabama). With his 25 points versus LSU, it marked his only two times to score at least 20 points in his career.

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