Balance, Not Numbers, Carries Arkansas to Easy Win Over Mississippi State

Missing two key rotation players and coming off a home loss to Kentucky, Arkansas arrived in Starkville with every reason to stumble. Instead, the Razorbacks were poised and unhurried, rolling past Mississippi State 88–68 on Saturday afternoon in a game that felt settled long before the final horn. Now 17–6 overall and 7–3 in SEC play, Arkansas seized control with a decisive run early in the second half, built a commanding halftime cushion, and never allowed the Bulldogs back into contention.

Junior guard DJ Wagner and sophomore forward Karter Knox were both listed as “OUT” on the official availability report before tipoff, leaving Arkansas without two of its eight primary rotation players. The absences hardly showed. Leaning on depth, crisp ball movement, and steady defensive pressure, the Razorbacks turned what could have been a weakness into a quiet statement of control.

First Half: Early Runs and Defensive Control

Mississippi State opened with a quick 4–0 burst, but the tone of the game shifted almost immediately. A Trevon Brazile rejection ignited a fast break that ended with a Billy Richmond alley-oop, putting Arkansas on the board and settling the Razorbacks. Josh Hubbard and Richmond traded jumpers, Achor Achor scored inside, and Darius Acuff Jr. answered with a jumper of his own. Brazile followed with a three, and after Ballard converted a layup and an and one at the under 16 timeout, the Bulldogs briefly held a 10–9 lead.

From there, Arkansas took control. Ewin finished a lob from Richmond, Hubbard turned it over, and Brazile knocked down another three to give the Razorbacks a 14–11 lead. With Isaiah Sealy entering the game, Arkansas’s energy and pace changed. Defensive pressure and crisp ball movement fueled a 13–2 run over seven minutes. Brazile threw down a lob from Acuff, Sealy followed with an alley oop, and the lead stretched to 22–13. 

The surge grew into a 20–2 run, capped by an Acuff and one that made it 29–13.

Mississippi State briefly responded with a Hubbard and one layup and a short 7–0 run, but Arkansas never lost its composure. The Razorbacks closed the half with control and confidence. After forcing a turnover on Mississippi State’s final possession, Acuff buried a three at the buzzer to give Arkansas a 43–30 halftime lead.

At the break, The Razorbacks held a 15–2 advantage in points off turnovers and recorded seven first half blocks, highlighting both their defensive dominance and their command of the game’s tempo.

Second Half: Arkansas Pulls Away

Arkansas picked up where it left off after halftime. Richmond opened the half with a dunk on a feed from Acuff. After brief exchanges of baskets, the Razorbacks began to stretch the lead.

Acuff hit a three to make it 59–42, followed by a dunk from Nick Pringle and another basket from Brazile to push the margin to 61–42 at the under 16 timeout. 

From there, Arkansas consistently answered every Mississippi State basket with a score of its own.

Defensive pressure remained constant. Richmond swatted a layup attempt, Sealy created turnovers and finishes in transition, and Brazile continued to control the paint. Mississippi State made several pushes, but none gained traction.

With the Razorbacks leading 74–59, Arkansas delivered another closing surge. Brazile converted inside, Acuff added a layup, and the lead swelled to 20 points. From that point forward, the outcome was no longer in doubt.

In the final minute, Richmond found Jonas Aidoo Thomas in the corner for a three to make it 88–68. Arkansas then secured the rebound and ran out the clock, closing out an emphatic road victory at Humphrey Coliseum.

Arkansas shot 36 of 69 from the field (52.2 percent) and 8 of 22 from three point range (36.4 percent). Mississippi State finished 28 of 61 from the floor (45.9 percent) and 3 of 15 from beyond the arc (20 percent).

The Razorbacks forced 11 turnovers, which led to a 19–4 advantage in points off turnovers. Arkansas also won the rebounding battle 38–33, including an 11–9 edge on the offensive glass.

Defensively, Arkansas recorded nine total blocks, with four from Brazile and three from Sealy.

Individual Performances

Arkansas finished with four players in double figure scoring, led by freshman point guard Darius Acuff Jr. Acuff recorded 24 points on 9 of 19 shooting, including 3 of 5 from three point range, with a game high eight assists, five rebounds, and just one turnover in 38 minutes.

Senior forward Trevon Brazile followed with 19 points on 7 of 12 shooting, adding eight rebounds, four assists, and four blocked shots. It marked an SEC career high in scoring for Brazile.

Jonas Aidoo Thomas added 17 points, and Billy Richmond finished with 14 points.

Nick Pringle contributed six points but made a major impact on the glass, pulling down a game high 11 rebounds, including three offensive boards. Isaiah Sealy, who had not seen action since garbage time of the Jan. 20 win over Vanderbilt, delivered six points on 3 of 6 shooting, three blocks, two assists, and one rebound in 15 minutes.

For Mississippi State, junior guard Josh Hubbard carried the offensive load, scoring 16 points on 7 of 15 shooting while also leading the team with five assists. Redshirt senior forward Achor Achor provided a steady complement, adding 15 points on an efficient 5 of 7 from the floor, but the production was not enough to shift the balance of the game.

Up Next, the Tigers

Arkansas will have little time to linger on the win before turning its attention to Baton Rouge, where the Razorbacks will face LSU on Tuesday night. The Tigers enter the matchup at 14–8 overall and 2–7 in SEC play. Arkansas edged LSU 85–81 on Jan. 24 at Bud Walton Arena in a tightly contested meeting.

Tip off from the Pete Maravich Center is set for 8 p.m. CST, with television coverage on the SEC Network.