Yellow Jackets Leave BWA With 69-65 Win

The Razorback men’s basketball team fell at home to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Wednesday night, 69-65. It’s the first time since 2012 the Hogs have lost back-to-back games inside Bud Walton Arena.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Jose Alvarado scored 20 points to help Georgia Tech hold on in the closing minutes for a 69-65 win at Arkansas on Wednesday night.

The win comes a game after the Yellow Jackets (6-4) suffered an embarrassing 79-69 home defeat to Gardner-Webb on Monday, and in a game they trailed by as many as five points early in the second half.

Alvarado was 9 of 15 from the field and scored in double figures for the sixth time in seven games, and the 6-foot guard added nine rebounds. James Banks III added 14 points and 15 rebounds, and Michael Devoe finished with 11 points and Khalid Moore had 10 in the win.

The loss is the second in the last three games for the Razorbacks (7-3), who shot just 38.1 percent (24 of 63) from the field.

Mason Jones led Arkansas with 17 points, while Daniel Gafford added 14 and Isaiah Joe 13. The Razorbacks hit only 10 of 32 3-point attempts.

Arkansas trailed by as many as 11 points in the first half while opening the game 1 of 11 from the field, including 0 of 8 on 3-pointers.

The Razorbacks, however, hit 6 of 9 3-point attempts to close out the half — with Jones and Joe combining for five — and rallied to take a 32-31 halftime lead.

BIG PICTURE

After a disappointing 13-19 record in coach Josh Pastner’s second season a year ago, Georgia Tech was in desperate need of a victory after entering the game with three losses in its last four games — including the loss to Gardner-Webb. The Yellow Jackets survived a series of lead changes in the second half to do just that, winning their fifth straight in the series against Arkansas.

UP NEXT

The Razorbacks host Texas State on Saturday (Dec. 22) at 1 pm. The game will be telecast on the SEC Network.

Big Plays

FIRST HALF: Arkansas 32 – Georgia Tech 31

• Arkansas scored first on a short jumper by Daniel Gafford. However, Georgia Tech answered with a 13-0 run and led most of the first half.
• Isaiah Joe and Mason Jones sank a couple of 3-pointers in the latter part of the first half and Arkansas tied the game, 29-29, with 2:22 left.
• Arkansas took its first lead, 32-29 on a Mason Jones 3-pointer at the 1:02 mark.
• Mason Jones had a team-best, nine points at halftime with Isaiah Joe adding eight.

SECOND HALF: Arkansas was out-scored 38-30.

• Arkansas maintained its halftime lead until Tech’s Khalid Moore’s layup with 10:49 left gave Georgia Tech a 45-43 lead.
• The Razorbacks regained the lead, 53-52, on a Jalen Harris floater in the lane with 6:11 left.
• The lead changed hands seven times over the next four-plus minutes. James Banks III made two free throws with 1:47 left to give Georgia Tech a one-point lead, one it would not relinquish.
• Mason Jones made two free throws with 39 seconds left to make it a one-possession game, 65-62, only to see Tech’s Moore push the lead back to five by making two at the charity stripe.
• Jones scored his 17th point of the night on a 3-pointer with five seconds left to make it a two-point game, but Moore sank two more free throws with one second left to seal the victory.

GAME NOTES:

• For the 10th straight game, Arkansas’ starters were Isaiah Joe (G) – Jalen Harris (G) – Mason Jones (G) – Adrio Bailey (F) – Daniel Gafford (F).
• Arkansas controlled the tip and Daniel Gafford scored the first points, a short jumper at the 19:12 mark.
• This was the sixth meeting between Arkansas and Georgia Tech. The Razorbacks won the first meeting in the series, 72-42 on Dec. 3, 1961. However, the Yellow Jackets have won each of the last five games in the series.
• Arkansas has lost back-to-back home games for the first time since the 2016-17 season, falling to Florida (81-72 on Dec. 29, 2016) and Mississippi State (84-74 on Jan. 10, 2017). Arkansas had not lost back-to-back home non-conference games since the 2009-10 season, suffering losses to Baylor (70-47; Dec 20, 2009) and UAB (73-72; Jan. 2, 2010). Arkansas has not lost three straight at home since dropping the final three home games of the 2011-12 season versus Florida (Feb. 18), Alabama (Feb. 23) and Ole Miss (Feb. 28).
• Reggie Chaney earned his third “second-half” start of the season and second in as many games. He finished with six points and four rebounds in 27 minutes.
• Mason Jones, who had a team-best 17 points, led the team in scoring for the fourth time. He also led the team in assists, marking the second time he has done so.
• Isaiah Joe (13 points) and Daniel Gafford (14 points) are the only Razorbacks to score in double figures in all 10 games this season.