Razorbacks dominate West Virginia for 77-68 win

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Jaylin Williams had a career-high 15 rebounds and added 12 points for his fifth double-double of the year as the Razorbacks defeated West Virginia, 77-68, as part of the SEC-Big 12 Challenge Saturday afternoon at Bud Walton Arena.

The Mountaineers as a team had just 26 rebounds.

The Razorbacks won their sixth straight game and have held the last six opponents to less than 40% shooting.

The Hogs are now 4-4 in the SEC-Big 12 Challenge, including 4-0 in Bud Walton Arena.

Arkansas entered the game with two key themes and accomplished both. They out-rebounded WVU and got to the free-throw line.

The Razorbacks out-rebounded the Mountaineers, 44-26, and made 28-of-34 at the line, compared to 15-of-21 by WVU.

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Arkansas opened the second half hot and took a 19-point lead with 16:08 left. West Virginia cut the deficit to five (54-49) thanks to a 16-2 runs, including a 12-0 spurt. Au’Diese Toney went on a 5-0 run of his own – three free throws and a dunk – and Williams followed with an old-fashion, three-point play to put the Hogs up 13.

The Mountaineers battled back to get to within seven twice inside the final 4:25 but the Hogs had an answer each time down the stretch to get the win.

Toney finished with 19 points (6-of-8 FG and 7-of-8 FT) with seven rebounds and three assists.

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Stanley Umude, who picked up the scoring in the first half when JD Notae left with two early fouls, just missed a double-double with 12 points and eight rebounds.

Notae added 15 points — 10 in the second half — and Davonte Davis contributed six rebounds.

Arkansas briefly hits the road to play at Georgia on Wednesday.

Game time is set for 6 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on ESPNU. The Razorbacks will return to Bud Walton Arena for the next two games, hosting Mississippi State next Saturday and Auburn (Feb. 8).

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FIRST HALF: Arkansas: 38, West Virginia: 29

• Arkansas hit the opening shot of the game – a JD Notae 3-pointer – and jumped out to a 16-5 lead after a Stanley Umude triple to force a WVU timeout.

• Notae picked up his second foul at 16:34 and sat out the rest of the first half. He made both shots with five points and an assist.

• Stanley Umude led the Hogs with 9 points with five rebounds. Au’Diese Toney had 8 points and four boards.

• Jaylin Williams had nine rebounds at the break as Arkansas out-rebounded WVU 23-13.

• The Razorbacks were 16-of-18 at the free throw line.

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SECOND HALF: Arkansas: 39, West Virginia: 39

• Arkansas started the second half strong as well (10-2) and made 5-of-5 FG attempts to push the run to 14-4 for a 19-point lead and force a WVU timeout.

• West Virginia answered with a 16-2 run, including a 12-0 spurt) to cut its deficit to five (54-49) at 12:21. Arkansas responded with an 8-0 run, including five straight points from Toney, to push the lead to 13.

• JD Notae, Trey Wade and Au’Diese Toney each played all 20 minutes of the second half. Notae has played all 20 minutes of a half 10 times this season and Toney has done so eight times.

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Game Notes

• Arkansas’ starting lineup was JD Notae – Au’Diese Toney – Stanley Umude – Trey Wade –Jaylin Williams for the fifth straight game.

• Arkansas won the opening tip.

• JD Notae scored the game’s first points, a 3-pointer at 19:48. Arkansas is 14-1 this season when scoring first and 39-9 in the Musselman era.

• Davonte Davis was the first Razorback sub.

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• Arkansas is now 2-0 all-time versus West Virginia.

• Arkansas is now 4-4 in the SEC-Big 12 Challenge. All four wis for the Hogs have come at home.

• Arkansas has held its last six opponents to less than 40% shooting from the field (35.4% – 120-of-339) while also holding the last six opponents to less the 31% shooting from 3-point range (25.8%, 33-of-128).

• The last time Arkansas held six-straight opponents to less than 40% shooting was games 7 through 12 of the 2013-14 season.

• Also, Arkansas has held four of its last six opponents to less than 60 points. The lone exceptions were Texas A&M scoring 73 in an overtime game and West Virginia scoring 68 today.

• Jaylin Williams has produced a double-double five of his last seven games. The only games Williams did not have double-doubles was having 19 pts and 9 rebs versus South Carolina and having 18 points and eight rebounds at Ole Miss.

• After making a season-low 8-of-12 at the line last time out, Arkansas bounced back to go 28-of-34 at the line versus WVU. The 28 makes and 34 attempts are the second-most for the Hogs this season trailing the Elon fame (29-of-35).

• Au’Diese Toney tied a season-high by making seven free throws.

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