Arkansas Razorbacks vs Auburn Tigers Match Player Stats On Dec 30, 2020

Desi Sills scored 16 of his 23 points in the first half and JD Notae put up 19 of his 21 points in the second half to keep Arkansas unbeaten with a 97-85 win over host Auburn on Wednesday.

The game was the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams.

Connor Vanover added 17 points, Moses Moody had 16 points and six rebounds and Jalen Tate finished with 12 points for Arkansas (9-0, 1-0 SEC). Sills also grabbed six boards. The Razorbacks have won all of their games by double digit margins.

Auburn (6-3, 0-1) was led by Jamal Johnson's 21 points. Allen Flanigan finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds, Devan Cambridge added 15 points and Jaylin Williams had 13.

Arkansas' Justin Smith, a grad transfer from Indiana who was averaging 12.5 points and 7.5 rebounds entering the game, did not play in the second half because of an ankle injury. He wore a boot on the bench.

Smith finished with four points and four rebounds in 12 minutes.

Auburn tied the game at 74 with 7:30 left in the game on two free throws by Flanigan, but the Tigers, who trailed 47-41 at halftime, could never take the lead.

Arkansas followed with a 10-0 run to pull away to an 84-74 lead with 3:23 remaining. Auburn had four turnovers in that stretch and 19 in the game that led to 27 points for the Razorbacks.

After the game was tied at 34 with 3:20 left in the first half, Sills made 3-pointers in the Razorbacks' last three possessions of the half, enabling them to take a six-point lead to the locker room.

The teams combined for 16 made 3-pointers in the first half with Arkansas shooting 7 of 17 and Auburn 9 of 17 from beyond the arc. The Tigers 15 of 29 from long distance while the Razorbacks were 9 of 28.

Sills had 16 points in the first half on 6-of-8 shooting from the field, including 4-of-5 success from beyond the arc. In the second half, Notae made 5 of 11 shots from the field and was 7 of 9 from the free-throw line.

--Field Level Media