Second Half Woes Seal Arkansas’ Fate Versus #8/9 Tennessee

FAYETTEVILLE – Arkansas trailed by six at halftime (46-40) but #8/9 Tennessee opened the second half with a 16-7 run to lead by 17 and never looked back to hand the Razorbacks a 92-63 loss Wednesday night at Bud Walton Arena.

In the loss, Razorback senior Davonte Davis reached a milestone. He dished out four assists, the last coming with 2:33 left in the first half on a Jeremiah Davenport 3-pointer, to give Davis 300 career assists. He joins Todd Day as the only Razorbacks to have at least 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 300 assists. (Davis now has 1,073 points, 508 rebounds and 300 assists. Day had 2,395 points, 673 rebounds and 319 assists.)

Jonas Aidoo scored 23 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead the Volunteers while Dalton Knecht, the conference’s leading scorer in SEC play, finished with 22 points by going 7-of-10 at the free throw line.

Tennessee only shot 29.4% from 3-point range for the game and Arkansas had a season-high 12 steals. However, the Vols shot 56.9% from the field, getting 48 points in the paint and out-scoring Arkansas 28-12 in points off turnovers.

The second half proved to be the downfall for Arkansas. The Hogs shot just 25.8% from the field while Tennessee made 60.9% of its shots with 10 assists on 14 made baskets. Also in the period, Tennessee was 15-of-17 at the free throw line compared to Arkansas being 5-of-8.

Tennessee led, 46-40, at the break. Both teams were effective shooting as Tennessee made 54.3% (19-of-35) of its shots from the field and the Razorbacks were 50% (13-of-26). The Razorbacks held Tennessee to just 2-of-10 from 3-point but the Vols created 10 turnovers on seven steals and out-scored the Hogs, 17-7, on point off turnovers.

Tramon Mark led Arkansas with 12 points and Jalen Graham added seven rebounds.

The Razorbacks hit the road for their next two games. First, Arkansas plays at Mississippi State on Saturday (Feb. 17) at 1 pm then goes to Texas A&M on Tuesday (Feb. 20) for a 6 pm tip.

NOTES

• Arkansas starters were El Ellis, Davonte Davis, Tramon Mark, Jalen Graham and Chandler Lawson.
• Tennessee controlled the opening tip.
• Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht scored the first points of the game with a dunk at 19:36. Arkansas’ first point came from Tramon Mark, a 3-pointer at 19:16.
• Keyon Menifield Jr., was the first Razorback sub.
• Tennessee leads the all-time series over Arkansas, 26-22, but Arkansas still leads 12-5 in games played in Fayetteville.
• Tennessee snapped a seven-game losing streak to Arkansas in Bud Walton Arena. This was just Tennessee’s fourth trip to Knoxville over the last 11 regular-season meetings with Arkansas going to Tennessee seven times over the span.
• This was Arkansas’ first time to play on Valentine’s Day since winning at Ole Miss in 2015. The last time Arkansas played at home on Feb. 14 was a loss to Kentucky in 2009. Arkansas is now 14-11 all-time on Valentine’s Day.
• El Ellis is 25 points from scoring 1,000 for his career.
• For the first time this season and the third time in an SEC game, Davonte Davis played all 40 minutes. He has played all 20 minutes of a half a team-best nine times this season.

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