Notae, Umude lead Razorbacks past Penn for sixth straight win

No. 12-13 Arkansas (6-0) never really got far behind Penn (3-6) on Sunday afternoon and just had a workmanlike 76-60 win.

JD Notae scored a game-high 28 points while Stanley Umude contributed 19 off the bench to lead the Hogs.

Notae was a rebound shy of a double-double, finishing with nine boards, while Umude pulled down seven rebounds. Notae also dished out five assists, as did Davonte Davis.

Photo by Michael Morrison | HitThatLine.com

Jaylin Williams, leading a list of four players in the NCAA 6-9 or taller to average over four assists per game, led Arkansas with six assists.

Williams, the team’s leader in rebounds as well, tied Notae for high rebounds with nine.

Arkansas never had one of its patented runs but did open the second half by scoring the first seven points and had a 12-1 spurt out of the locker room.

And, going back to the end of the first half, the Razorbacks held Penn without a field goal (making one free throw) for nearly six minutes (5:47).

The dry spell started with 1:13 left in the first half went until 15:26 into the second half. Overall, Arkansas out-scored the Quakers 14-3 over the span to take a 20-point lead.

Penn did not go away quietly.

Photo by Michael Morrison | HitThatLine.com

The Quakers got within 10 (66-56) with 4:11 left to play before Notae scored eight of his 28 points over the next 3:30 to put the game out of reach.

Clark Skajchert led Penn with 25 points while Max Mart had 13 of his team’s 28 rebounds.

Arkansas stays home to host Central Arkansas on Wednesday.

Tip-off is at 7 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on the SEC Network+.

Photo by Michael Morrison | HitThatLine.com

First Half Highlights: Arkansas: 37-Penn: 26

• Arkansas had three, 11-point leads in the first half.

• Arkansas made four straight field goals to open up its first 11-point lead (27-16) with over seven minutes to play in the period.

• The Razorbacks held Penn scoreless for over 2:30 to lead by 11 (32-21).

• JD Notae made a jumper just before the halftime buzzer to once again put Arkansas up 11 (37-26).

• Notae and Au’Diese Toney led Arkansas, each with 12 points.

• The Razorbacks out-rebounded the Quakers 24-12 in the period.

• Arkansas was just 1-of-8 from 3-point range but shot 48 percent from the field overall (15-31). Arkansas was 14-of-23 (60.9 percent) from inside the 3-point line.

Photo by Michael Morrison | HitThatLine.com

Second Half Highlights: Arkansas: 39-Penn: 34

• Arkansas scored the first 7 points of the half to take a 44-26 lead. Penn ended their drought (16:52) on a free throw.

• Arkansas pushed the run to 12-1 (for a 49-27 lead) after an Umude 3-pointer to force a Penn timeout at 15:47.

• Notae scored 16 of his 28 in the second half and he had four of his five assists in the frame.

• Williams had five of his six assists in the second half.

• Arkansas shot 53.1% from the field in the second half.

Photo by Michael Morrison | HitThatLine.com

Game Notes

• Arkansas’ starting lineup was Davonte Davis, JD Notae, Au’Diese Toney, Jaylin Williams and Connor Vanover for the fifth straight game.

• Arkansas won the tip for the sixth straight game.

• Notae scored the game’s first points, a layup at 19:40.

• Umude was the first Razorback substitute.

• Arkansas dominated the boards, 44-28.

• Arkansas shot a season-high 50.8% from the field, despite making just 3-of-17 from 3-point range.

• Arkansas, one of the nation’s top free throw shooting teams, was just 9-of-16 at the line and the team’s 56.3% stands as the fourth-worst percentage by the Razorbacks in the Musselman era.

• The 28 rebounds by Penn tie for the third-fewest by an opponent in the Musselman era.

• After giving up 13, 13 and 17 3-pointers in games 1-3, Arkansas has held opponents to single-digit makes in each of the last three. Penn was just 7-of-27 (25.9%).

Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.