Putting their loss to Georgia in the rear view, the Tigers ensued defeated Arkansas 72-59 with help from its veteran stars.
“The key to the game was not turning it over,” said head coach Bruce Pearl. “The key to the game was understanding: 'let’s get a shot.' The other thing we emphasized was just take open shots.”
Arkansas’ No. 13 ranking didn’t scare off No. 22 Auburn. The Tigers were off to a quick start with a steal from junior guard Wendell Green Jr., which led to his three-point jumper through contact that earned him a trip to the line where he made it a four-point play. Keeping its foot on the gas, Auburn had an electric first half with a strong shooting game from senior guard Allen Flanigan as well as Green Jr.
With a 5-for-9 shooting night, Flanigan scored in double figures in the second consecutive game for the first time this season. He tied his season-high with 18 points, and three converted 3-pointers also matched his best this season, which came against USF in November.
Extending its 11-point halftime lead, senior Zep Jasper came out hot in the second half, starting the Tigers off with a jumper. Like the first half, Auburn controlled the pace on the court, but Arkansas did not give up without a fight. The Razorbacks were able to slow Auburn down late in the second and score nine more points than it did before the half, but it wasn’t enough to inch any closer as they fell by 13.
Shooting has been a major problem for the Tigers as of late. They came into the game averaging 36.5% from the field in SEC play, but tonight was a different story.
Compared to their game against Georgia, Auburn was 24-for-69 (35%) on field goals and 6-for-28 (21%)on 3-point field goals. However, for the matchup against Arkansas, the Tigers were 24-of-55 (44%) on field goals and 7-of-21 (33%) on 3-point field goals.
Second in scoring to Green Jr's 19, Flanigan had a great night, going 5-for-9 (56%) from the field, 3-of-6 (50%) for 3-point field goals, and 5-of-6 (83%) free throws. The senior guard ended the match with eight rebounds, two assists and two steals.
“It means a lot just knowing my teammates need me to step up,” Flanigan said. “So being able to step up for them was big.”
Green also had a great night in the paint. The junior guard was 5-of-8 on field goals, 2-of-4 from beyond the arch and 7-of-9 from the free-throw line. Green Jr. added three steals and three total rebounds. Johni Broome ended the match with ten points and ten total rebounds, good for another double-double.
“You know everybody went out there and they did their job. I’m proud of all my teammates,” Green Jr. said. “We played our roles. Everybody has a responsibility in the zone, and we took care of it.”
While Auburn held Arkansas below 60 points for just the second time this season, stopping guards from getting open looks continued to be a weakness for the Auburn defense.
For Arkansas, Anthony Black had a strong night as he led the team with 23 points. Black took advantage of Auburn's fouls, going 13-for-16 on free throws. Ricky Council IV followed Black’s lead with 14 points. Council was 2-for-2 at the free-throw line and 2-of-6 on 3-point field goals.
While it had plenty of opportunities, free throws were a major struggle for the Razorbacks. Arkansas was 19-for-32 (59%) on free throws compared to Auburn’s 17-for-22 (77%). The Tigers also out-hustled the Razorbacks with seven blocks and eight steals compared to Arkansas’ five blocks and four steals.
“I’m very proud of the kids,” Pearl said. “It was a great team effort.”
After the win over Arkansas, the Tigers go on the road again to Oxford, Mississippi, to face the Ole Miss Rebels on January 10th at 8 p.m. CST on the SEC Network.
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Caitlyn Griffin is a sophomore from Huntsville, Alabama, majoring in journalism. She started with The Plainsman in fall 2022.
Twitter: @caitlyngrif99
