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By DAVID HAMMER
Associated Press Writer
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) -- Freshman center Darian Townes caught fire in the second half Wednesday and scored 17 points to lead Arkansas to a 62-47 Southeastern Conference win over Georgia, but the night really belonged to junior forward Jonathon Modica.
After getting his first start in 16 games Saturday against Mississippi, Modica stayed in the starting five and responded with 14 points. On a spectacular alley-oop jam with 13:15 left in the game, he became the 27th Razorback to surpass 1,000 career points.
Ronnie Brewer chipped in with 15 points.
Arkansas (16-7, 4-6 SEC) was able to keep alive its slim NCAA Tournament hopes by stringing together its first back-to-back SEC wins of the season. The wins Saturday and Wednesday were the ARazorbacks' first two in a row since Jan. 5, when the Razorbacks' non-conference record stood at 15-1.
A young Georgia team (7-13, 1-9), with nine freshmen on its roster, continued to struggle offensively. The loss was the 10th in the last 11 games for the Bulldogs, who were led Wednesday night by Channing Toney's 21 points and 12 from Sundiata Gaines. No other Georgia player scored more than 6.
The Razorbacks struggled when Modica went to the bench. His replacement, Dontell Jefferson, turned the ball over three times in his first three minutes running the offense, during which time Georgia erased a 5-point deficit.
Arkansas started out looking sluggish in its half-court offense against the Bulldogs' man-to-man, but the Razorbacks were equally active on the defensive end, trapping full-court and fast-breaking off steals from Georgia's half-court sets.
When the Bulldogs did get easy opportunities, they often turned the ball over, and once, a wide-open shot got stuck in the crook of the rim.
But Georgia hung in through most of the first half, managing a tie at 21 at 2:05 before halftime and keeping the crowd from giving the home team momentum _ even when Brewer skied for a reverse dunk off a long-range alley-oop pass from Eric Ferguson.
Arkansas only started to pull away at in the last two minutes of the first half, closing on a 6-0 run for a 27-21 lead at the break.
