Field Level Media
Dec 9, 2020
Arkansas used balanced scoring and Southern's poor shooting to establish a 27-point first half lead on its way to a 79-44 nonconference rout Wednesday night in Fayetteville, Ark.
Six players scored in double figures for the Razorbacks (5-0), led by Davonte Davis with 14. Moses Moody, Jalen Tate and JD Notae each scored 12, while Justin Smith and Desi Sills added 11 apiece.
Arkansas shot 44.8 percent from the field and canned 11 of 33 3-pointers.
Jayden Saddler scored nine points to pace the Jaguars (0-3), who were unable to consistently convert shots against a taller, more athletic foe. Southern hit just 28.6 percent from the field, including 1 of 13 on 3-pointers.
Ahsante Shivers, the Jaguars' leading scorer coming into this game, endured a scoreless performance in which he missed all nine of his shots, going 0 for 5 on 3-pointers.
This game wasn't officially scheduled until Monday. Southern was supposed to play at No. 1 Gonzaga on Thursday night, but the game was canceled when the Zags paused their program because of COVID-19 positive tests.
The Razorbacks were slated to visit Tulsa on Tuesday night, but the Golden Hurricane canceled the game on Saturday because of coronavirus concerns.
Arkansas wasted little time putting its stamp on this one. Twenty seconds after it won the opening tip, Sills stuck a 3-pointer. That started a game-opening 18-4 run in the game's first 6:31, during which the Razorbacks collected eight points via the fast break.
While Arkansas pushed the pace and converted with consistency, Southern simply couldn't gain any traction. It took the Jaguars 2:11 to score and 9:30 to reach double figures, by which time it trailed 23-11.
Things only got worse from there for the Southwestern Athletic Conference opponent. The Razorbacks ripped off 17 consecutive points to open up a 40-13 cushion with 3:21 left in the first half, courtesy of Moody's putback dunk off a Sills miss.
Arkansas settled for a 42-20 advantage at intermission.
--Field Level Media