No. 13 Arkansas rallies from 17 down to beat No. 20 Missouri
AP
Jan 04, 2023
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) Ricky Council scored 25 points and Joseph Pinion scored 13 off the bench as No. 13 Arkansas Razorbacks rallied from a 17-point deficit to beat No. 20 Missouri Tigers 74-68 on Wednesday night.
The Razorbacks (12-2, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) didn't lead until back-to-back fast-break buckets from Council and guard Devo Davis provided a one-point advantage with 14:24 left. Pinion followed with a 3-pointer to cap a 9-0 run. Five minutes later, Arkansas went on another run, 7-0, to build the lead to eight points.
Missouri (12-2, 1-1) had stifled Arkansas and built its lead to 17 points with its zone defense in the first half, limiting the Razorbacks to 36% shooting from the field and 2 for 12 from 3-point range.
Arkansas coach Eric Musselman injected the little-used Pinion, a shooting specialist, into the game with the Razorbacks trailing by 10. The freshman scored his 13 points on 4 of 7 shooting, including 3 of 6 from 3-point range, in a career-high 27 minutes.
''When you watch your team spot shoot, he's an elite shooter,'' Arkansas coach Eric Musselman said. ''The way their zone is, they have so many guys above the foul line, that deep corner was a sweet spot for somebody.''
Council, who entered as the SEC's third-leading scorer averaging 17.9 points per game, scored 21 of his 25 in the second half.
Missouri lost its lead on the interior on the glass. The Tigers' zone failed in the second half as Pinion's 3-point shooting forced it toward the perimeter. Arkansas shot 62% in the final 20 minutes and outrebounded Missouri, 40-23, for the game.
Davis joined Council and Pinion in double figures for Arkansas with 10 points.
Sean East led Missouri with 13 points, while Nick Honor and Kobe Brown added 12 and 11, respectively.
''Quite frankly it was a must-win tonight for us. Maybe that had an effect of how we played the first half,'' Musselman said. ''I felt like with the toughness of the league, this was a game, especially because we had a long prep time.''
MISSING SMITH
Arkansas guard Nick Smith Jr. was not with the team. The projected NBA lottery pick hasn't played since Dec. 17 against Bradley when he re-injured his right knee. An Arkansas spokesman said Smith was seeing a specialist about the injury. The freshman guard has played in five games and averaged 12.8 points this season.
BIG PICTURE
Arkansas has struggled most with teams who pack in defenses, but coach Eric Musselman's team has shown itself capable of overcoming that strategy with its athleticism.
Missouri's loss is barely damaging. The Tigers still own wins over Illinois and Kentucky and a road loss in an SEC game to a top-15 team won't hurt the NCAA Tournament resume.
UP NEXT
Missouri: Hosts Vanderbilt on Saturday.
Arkansas: Travels to Auburn on Saturday.
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1st Half
MIZZ
Tigers
34
ARK
Razorbacks
27
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
Kobe Brown vs. Makhi Mitchell (Tigers gains possession)
19:36
+3
Ronnie DeGray III makes three point jump shot (Kobe Brown assists)
3-0
19:01
Davonte Davis misses two point jump shot
18:59
Ronnie DeGray III defensive rebound
18:51
Ronnie DeGray III misses three point jump shot
18:49
Ricky Council IV defensive rebound
18:42
+2
Makhi Mitchell makes two point layup (Jordan Walsh assists)
3-2
18:16
Makhi Mitchell shooting foul (Kobe Brown draws the foul)
18:16
+1
Kobe Brown makes regular free throw 1 of 2
4-2
18:16
+1
Kobe Brown makes regular free throw 2 of 2
5-2
18:00
Davonte Davis misses three point jump shot
17:58
Makhi Mitchell offensive rebound
17:51
+2
Makhi Mitchell makes two point dunk (Davonte Davis assists)
5-4
17:23
+2
Kobe Brown makes two point jump shot
7-4
17:02
Kobe Brown personal foul
17:02
Anthony Black turnover (bad pass)
16:45
Ronnie DeGray III misses three point jump shot
16:43
Makhi Mitchell defensive rebound
16:34
Tre Gomillion personal foul
16:16
Kobe Brown shooting foul (Makhel Mitchell draws the foul)
16:16
Makhel Mitchell misses regular free throw 1 of 2
16:16
+1
Makhel Mitchell makes regular free throw 2 of 2
7-5
16:11
+3
Sean East II makes three point jump shot (Nick Honor assists)
10-5
15:52
Noah Carter blocks Ricky Council IV's two point layup
15:50
D'Moi Hodge defensive rebound
15:46
Jordan Walsh shooting foul (D'Moi Hodge draws the foul)
15:46
TV timeout
15:46
+1
D'Moi Hodge makes regular free throw 1 of 2
11-5
15:46
D'Moi Hodge misses regular free throw 2 of 2
15:46
Jordan Walsh defensive rebound
15:28
Anthony Black misses three point jump shot
15:26
Jordan Walsh offensive rebound
15:24
D'Moi Hodge personal foul
15:13
Jordan Walsh misses three point jump shot
15:11
Razorbacks offensive rebound
15:06
Anthony Black misses three point jump shot
15:04
Sean East II defensive rebound
14:58
Anthony Black shooting foul (Nick Honor draws the foul)
14:58
+1
Nick Honor makes regular free throw 1 of 3
12-5
14:58
+1
Nick Honor makes regular free throw 2 of 3
13-5
14:58
+1
Nick Honor makes regular free throw 3 of 3
14-5
14:28
Ricky Council IV misses two point jump shot
14:26
Razorbacks offensive rebound
14:26
Sean East II personal foul
14:10
+3
Ricky Council IV makes three point jump shot (Davonte Davis assists)
14-8
13:46
Sean East II turnover (bad pass) (Anthony Black steals)
13:22
Davonte Davis misses three point jump shot
13:20
Noah Carter defensive rebound
13:12
Ricky Council IV blocks Sean East II's two point layup
13:10
Jordan Walsh defensive rebound
12:52
Anthony Black turnover (lost ball) (DeAndre Gholston steals)
12:31
DeAndre Gholston turnover (lost ball) (Davonte Davis steals)
12:23
Ricky Council IV misses two point layup
12:21
Aidan Shaw defensive rebound
12:12
+2
Sean East II makes two point jump shot
16-8
11:47
Makhi Mitchell offensive foul
11:47
Makhi Mitchell turnover (offensive foul)
11:47
TV timeout
11:28
+2
Sean East II makes two point jump shot (Nick Honor assists)
18-8
10:54
Razorbacks turnover (shot clock violation)
10:27
+3
DeAndre Gholston makes three point jump shot (Sean East II assists)
21-8
10:20
Nick Honor personal foul
10:07
Anthony Black turnover (bad pass) (Sean East II steals)
9:57
DeAndre Gholston misses two point layup
9:55
D'Moi Hodge offensive rebound
9:54
Joseph Pinion shooting foul (D'Moi Hodge draws the foul)
9:54
D'Moi Hodge misses regular free throw 1 of 2
9:54
+1
D'Moi Hodge makes regular free throw 2 of 2
22-8
9:51
Ricky Council IV turnover (lost ball) (D'Moi Hodge steals)
9:47
+2
D'Moi Hodge makes two point layup
24-8
9:43
Davonte Davis turnover (bad pass)
9:31
Kamani Johnson shooting foul (Noah Carter draws the foul)
9:31
Noah Carter misses regular free throw 1 of 2
9:31
+1
Noah Carter makes regular free throw 2 of 2
25-8
9:15
+2
Jordan Walsh makes two point jump shot (Anthony Black assists)
25-10
9:06
DeAndre Gholston misses two point layup
9:04
Jordan Walsh defensive rebound
8:46
Joseph Pinion misses three point jump shot
8:44
Jordan Walsh offensive rebound
8:41
+2
Jordan Walsh makes two point layup
25-12
8:27
D'Moi Hodge misses three point jump shot
8:25
Jordan Walsh defensive rebound
8:08
Anthony Black misses three point jump shot
8:06
Jordan Walsh offensive rebound
8:03
Sean East II personal foul
8:03
+1
Joseph Pinion makes regular free throw 1 of 2
25-13
8:03
+1
Joseph Pinion makes regular free throw 2 of 2
25-14
7:49
Tre Gomillion misses three point jump shot
7:47
Davonte Davis defensive rebound
7:25
Joseph Pinion misses three point jump shot
7:23
Nick Honor defensive rebound
7:01
Tre Gomillion misses two point layup
6:59
Kamani Johnson defensive rebound
6:59
Ronnie DeGray III personal foul
6:59
TV timeout
6:59
Kamani Johnson misses regular free throw 1 of 1
6:59
Kamani Johnson offensive rebound
6:44
Davonte Davis misses two point jump shot
6:42
Kamani Johnson offensive rebound
6:34
Ricky Council IV turnover (bad pass) (D'Moi Hodge steals)
6:29
+2
D'Moi Hodge makes two point layup
27-14
6:07
Noah Carter blocks Anthony Black's two point jump shot
6:05
Tre Gomillion defensive rebound
5:59
Tre Gomillion turnover (bad pass) (Davonte Davis steals)
5:39
Noah Carter shooting foul (Kamani Johnson draws the foul)