Arkansas overcame a sluggish offensive start to beat the Fresno State Bulldogs inside Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock, 82-58.<\/p>\n
Here are three instant takeaways:<\/p>\n
Arkansas awakens after slumbering first half<\/p>\n
Despite suffocating defense, Arkansas let Fresno State hang around in the first 20 minutes thanks to poor shooting and offensive execution. The two teams were a combined 5-for-24 from beyond the arc in the first half.<\/p>\n
The Bulldogs shot just 30% from the floor in the first half but still found themselves within 10 at the break, 34-24.<\/p>\n
Arkansas came alive in the second half, starting the second half on a 16-2 run back-to-back threes from Karter Knox to open the scoring brought and otherwise quiet crowd to life.<\/p>\n
Arkansas has made a habit of letting mid-major teams hang around longer than the matchup dictates on paper. Arkansas has already had a 1-point win over Winthrop and a 4-point win over Samford.<\/p>\n
Darius Acuff Jr. showed his ability to take over a game in double quick time, scoring 11 of his team-high 18 points in the second half and can three triples all in quick succession.<\/p>\n
After getting 10 assists against Louisville, Acuff followed with eight more assists.<\/p>\n
Knox, Wagner both return to life<\/p>\n
The returning duo of Knox and DJ Wagner were supposed to bring the Razorbacks some stability and give the Hogs some production the team could count on.<\/p>\n
After both struggling in both games against top 10 opponents in No. 4 Duke and No. 6 Louisville, averaging just 7.5 points as a duo, both used the game against a mid-major to get back on track. <\/p>\n
Knox’s quick spurt to start the second half was part of an 11-point night that also included four rebounds and three assists.<\/p>\n
Wagner finished with 12 points. It’s the second time that both Knox and Wagner hit double figures and the first game since Jackson State.<\/p>\n
More mixing it up by Hogs:<\/p>\n
Arkansas has picked up a propensity to get embroiled in unnecessary scuffles.<\/p>\n
Billy Richmond electrified the crowd with his patented dunk with 10 minutes left in the second half, but less than 2 minutes later got ejected for a flagrant 2 foul for elbowing a Fresno State player in the face.<\/p>\n
TURN ME UP 24 pic.twitter.com\/Ha8AzZ5CBV<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Arkansas Razorbacks Men\u2019s Basketball \ud83d\udc17 (@RazorbackMBB) December 6, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n This comes a few weeks after Nick Pringle got involved in a scuffle late in the game against Winthrop that almost cost the Razorbacks the game, after both benches cleared.<\/p>\n Arkansas will now return high-major competition against Texas Tech inside American Airlines Center in Dallas, a rematch of last year’s Sweet 16, which sent the Razorbacks home. Tipoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN2.<\/p>\n Hogs Feed