Moody, Davis lift Razorbacks to fast second-half start to blast Georgia

Moses Moody had a season-best 25 points and fellow freshman Davonte Davis had 20 as Arkansas came out of halftime and blasted Georgia on Saturday, 99-69.

Davis also added seven rebounds and six assists while Jalen Tate had his second double-double of the year.

The Razorbacks improved to 10-2 overall (2-2 SEC) while the Bulldogs fell to 7-3 (0-3 SEC).

The 30-point margin of victory was the eighth largest (tied) versus an SEC opponent for the Razorbacks and the largest since a 36-point win at Vanderbilt on Mar. 6, 2019.

The Razorbacks shot a blistering 57.1 percent (12-of-21) from 3-point range and had 24 assists on 36 made baskets to shoot 52.2 percent from the field overall.

Arkansas, second in the SEC in rebound margin, also won the battle of the boards, 40-30, versus Georgia – first in the SEC in rebound margin.

The first half was a back-and-forth affair through the first 10 minutes.

The Hogs used a 7-0 run to open a 32-24 lead. The Bulldogs answered with a 6-0 run only to see Arkansas reel off another 7-0 run that helped lead to a six-point halftime lead (43-37).

Unlike Tennessee where the Razorbacks led by seven at the break and could not hang on, the Hogs opened the second half a with a 16-6 start, capped with a 12-0 run to lead 61-43, and never looked back.

In addition to Moody and Davis, fellow freshman Jaylin Williams played a big part in the win with nine rebounds, two assists, two charges taken, a steal and a blocked shot.

Vance Jackson, Jr., turned in his second straight solid performance with 15 points on 4-of-5 shooting from 3-point range. Tate finished with 15 points and 10 assists with four rebounds and two steals. J.D. Notae added 12 points off the bench, sinking 3-of-4 from 3-point range.

Andrew Garcia led Georgia, finishing with a double-double (15 points and 11 rebounds) while Toumani Camara also pumped in 15 points (10 coming in the first half, including all eight of Georgia’s first points). Sahvir Wheeler added 14 and P.J. Horne 10.

Up next, Arkansas hits the road for the first of two straight SEC road games. The Razorbacks will play at LSU on Wednesday (Jan. 13). Tipoff is set for 6:00 pm and the game will be televised on ESPN2.

FIRST HALF: Arkansas 43, Georgia 37

• Toumani Camara scored Georgia’s first eight points. Davis scored five of Arkansas’ first nine (Tate had the other four).

• Up one, Arkansas went on a 7-0 run, forcing five turnovers and holding Georgia scoreless for 4:20 to lead 32-24.

• Georgia answered with a 6-0 run of its own to cut its deficit to two, 32-30 with 3:48 left to force an Arkansas timeout.

• Arkansas immediately came back with another 7-0 run.

• Davis led Arkansas with five rebounds and 12 first-half points, including a layup with two seconds left before the break to provide the 43-37 score.

• Moody also scored 12 points.

• Arkansas had 10 assists on its 15 made field goals, including four from Jalen Tate.

SECOND HALF: Arkansas 56, Georgia 32

• Moody and Davis each played all but the final 25 seconds of the second half.

• Six of Tate’s 10 assists came in the second half and six of Williams’ nine rebounds were in the second half.

• Arkansas shot 60 percent (21-of-35) from the field in the period and 75 percent (6-of-8) from 3-point range.

• During Arkansas’ decisive 12-0 run, Jackson scored seven straight points, including back-to-back 3-pointers.

• Arkansas put the game away making 5-of-5 field goals during a 16-1 run, including a 7-0 spurt, to go up 88-53.

Game notes

• Arkansas leads the all-time series with Georgia, 24-16, and is 12-3 versus Bulldogs in Fayetteville.

• Arkansas’ starting lineup was Tate (G) – Notae (G) – Moody (G) – Vance Jackson (F) – Connor Vanover (F) for the first time this season. Notae was in the starting lineup for the first time this season and it was Jackson’s first start since the season opener versus Mississippi Valley State.

• Georgia won the opening tip.

• Camara scored the game’s first points, a 3-pointer at 18:42. Tate scored Arkansas’ first points, a free throw at 18:42.

• Williams was the first sub for Arkansas.

• Arkansas has produced a run of at least 10-0 in each of its 10 wins this season.

• Arkansas had a 12-0 run early in the second half to race out to a 20-point lead. Arkansas has not allowed its opponent a run of 10-0 this season.

• Moody and Davis are the first Razorback freshmen to score at least 20 points in the same game since Scotty Thurman (22 pts) and Corliss Williamson (26 pts) did so Feb. 16, 1993 in a 101-91 loss versus Tennessee at home. (HogStats.com)

• Moody bounced back from his six-point outing at Tennessee to score a season-high 25. He has scored double figures in 11-of-12 games and is the only Razorback to make a 3-pointer in all 12 games.

• Davis scored a season-high 20 points, had a season-high seven rebounds and had a season-high six assists. He played a season-high 33:26.

• Moody and Davis each had a Plus-Minus of +33. Tate and Williams were both +29.

• Tate tallied his second double-double and Arkansas and the fourth of his career with 15 points and 10 assists.

• Arkansas had at least five players in double figures in a game for the fifth time this season.

• Arkansas scored at least 50 points in a half for the sixth time this season.

• The 56 second-half points is the most by Arkansas in the second half of an SEC game since scoring 60 at Alabama on Jan 30, 2002 – a 109-94 final. (HogStats.com)

• This was the third time this season Arkansas has handed out 20-plus assists, including 24 today and 26 each versus Mississippi Valley State and Central Arkansas. The Razorbacks entered the game second in the SEC in assists per game (15.3), trailing only Georgia, who was averaging 16.3 but only had 11 Saturday.

• Arkansas tied a season high by forcing 21 turnovers, marking the third time this season the Hogs have forced 21 – also 21 versus Mississippi Valley State and 21 versus Missouri.

• Notae has scored double figures in 11 of 12 games.

• The last two games, Jackson has scored 29 points and made 7-of-11 from 3-point range.

• Desi Sills had eight points, five rebounds and a steal in his first game coming off the bench this season.

Information from Arkansas Communications is inlcluded in this story.