Defense, Depth, and a Second-Half Surge Lift Arkansas Over Texas A&M
Arkansas overwhelms Texas A&M with defense, transition scoring, and a dominant second half to secure a 99–84 SEC win.
It did not arrive in a rush. The game unfolded patiently, almost quietly, bending possession by possession before finally breaking open late. No. 20 Arkansas Razorbacks (21-7, 11-4 SEC) relied on depth, defensive pressure, and a steady collective rhythm to pull away from the Texas A&M Aggies (19-9, 9-6 SEC) for a 99-84 win on Wednesday night, transforming a disjointed opening into a composed, authoritative second half.
For much of the night, Arkansas moved forward without its most recognizable engines. John Calipari’s freshman backcourt of Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas struggled to find an early rhythm, with their influence not fully felt until the latter stages of the second half. In their place, the supporting cast carried the game, a steady rotation that absorbed early pressure and kept everything stable long enough for momentum to shift.
At the center of that effort was Billy Richmond, who delivered another commanding performance, leading Arkansas with 23 points on 8 of 13 shooting, including 1 of 2 from three-point range. Malique Ewin added a strong interior presence, scoring 18 points on 6 of 7 shooting and pulling down a team-high nine rebounds. Together, they gave Arkansas structure and control, anchoring a win that grew gradually rather than suddenly and left little doubt by the final minutes.
A Slow Start and an Early Turn
Arkansas opened cold, missing its first eight shots as Texas A&M surged to an early 11-2 lead behind Agee’s scoring and playmaking. Richmond ended the drought with a corner three, igniting a 12-0 Razorbacks run that flipped the game and gave Arkansas a 14-11 lead at the under-12 timeout. Defensive pressure fueled the swing, as the Hogs forced four turnovers and briefly held the Aggies scoreless.
The run grew to 16-0 before Agee finally stopped it with an and-one. Richmond and Trevon Brazile followed with key baskets, pushing the lead to 22-16. By the under-8 timeout, Arkansas had forced six turnovers while committing just one, building a 9-0 edge in points off turnovers.
Arkansas’s intensity only increased. The Razorbacks disrupted passing lanes, piled up deflections, and turned defense into transition offense, building a 14-2 fast break advantage. Richmond, Ewin, Brazile, and Acuff all scored in transition as Arkansas controlled the pace and momentum.
Texas A&M closed the half strong as Arkansas went scoreless over the final two minutes, committing three turnovers and missing its last 10 shots. The Aggies finished the half on a 6-0 run to cut the deficit to 37-28 at the break. Richmond led Arkansas with 15 points, while Agee paced Texas A&M with 13. Arkansas still held clear edges in turnovers, points off turnovers, second chance points, and fast break scoring.
Control After the Break
Thomas opened the second half by making his first field goal just 37 seconds after going 0 of 5 in the first, as Arkansas came out on a quick 4-0 run. Ewin followed with a relentless effort on the glass, rebounding a Billy Richmond miss, having his putback blocked by Federiko, grabbing it again, and finishing with a two-handed dunk. Moments later, Brazile found Richmond on the fast break for a layup, prompting a Texas A&M timeout with the Aggies trailing 50-35.
Since halftime, Arkansas had outscored Texas A&M 13-7, tying its largest lead of the night at 15 points, while also building early second-half advantages in fast break scoring and offensive rebounds.
Wagner and Zach Clemence traded baskets before the media timeout at the 14:41 mark, after which the Aggies responded with a 15-6 run. Texas A&M forced turnovers and hit timely threes, with Dibba and Clemence each knocking down triples and combining for 13 of the 15 points in that stretch as the game tightened and fouls began to accumulate.
Freshmen Finish It
With Arkansas clinging to a 67-62 lead, Acuff steadied the moment. He hit a jumper, then found Thomas for a three from the left wing to restore a 10-point cushion at 72-62. After stealing a pass from Lane, Acuff followed with a step-back jumper, pushing the lead to 76-64 at the under-8 timeout as Arkansas outscored Texas A&M 18-12 in that stretch.
Acuff continued his surge, scoring five straight points, including a three off a Brazile assist, with he and Thomas accounting for all nine Arkansas points entering the final media timeout. The closing run sealed the outcome.
Ewin delivered a long outlet pass to Thomas for a layup, igniting a 6-0 burst that made it 91-74 and forced another Texas A&M timeout. Out of the stoppage, Acuff converted a jumper while being fouled, extending Arkansas’ streak to 13 consecutive made field goals.
By the Numbers and What’s Next
The Razorbacks closed by hitting 13 of their final 15 shots, pulling away for a 99-84 win to improve to 21-7 overall and 11-4 in SEC play. Arkansas finished 33 of 65 from the floor (50.8 percent) and 4 of 17 from three (23.5 percent). Texas A&M shot 30 of 57 overall (52.6 percent) and 8 of 25 from beyond the arc (32 percent).
Richmond led Arkansas with 23 points on 8 of 13 shooting, adding two steals and a block. Acuff finished with 22 points, seven assists, five rebounds, and three steals. Clemence led Texas A&M with 29 points on 11 of 14 shooting, including 3 of 6 from three.
Arkansas has two days off before traveling to Gainesville, Florida, for a marquee matchup with the Florida Gators. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. CST, and the game will be televised on ESPN.
