Bad habits reappear as Arkansas basketball gets stunned by Vanderbilt
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Any hopes of a sustained late-season turnaround for the Arkansas basketball team ended with a disappointing thud Tuesday night.
The Razorbacks (14-14, 5-10 SEC) reverted back to some bad habits that paved the way to SEC struggles in an 85-82 loss to Vanderbilt. The Commodores (8-20, 3-12) trailed by double figures, then led by 16 in the second half before fighting off an Arkansas rally for their first road win of the season. Tramon Mark missed a clean 3-point attempt at the buzzer that would have tied the game.
The loss likely ended the Hogs' chances at a first-round bye in the upcoming SEC Tournament. If Arkansas is going to play in the nation's March Madness, it'll have to win five games in five days in Nashville.
Here are four observations from the Razorbacks' home loss.
Arkansas basketball goes heavy on 3-pointers
The Razorbacks took an SEC-high 30 shots from downtown, converting 10. That ratio was saved by a late-game flurry, but the large deficit was built as Arkansas insisted on settling for shots behind-the-arc.
It was undoubtedly part of the Vanderbilt game plan to coax the Hogs into a reliance on 3-pointers, and the strategy worked until the closing stages, where Arkansas made six of its final nine attempts.
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Scoring inside the paint has been a premium focus for Arkansas over the past three weeks, and that commitment has led to a string of better performances. Against Vanderbilt, Arkansas reverted back to bad habits and settled far too often.
Brutal close to the first half for Arkansas
A 3-pointer from Jeremiah Davenport gave the Razorbacks a 20-10 lead with 12:46 remaining in the first half. From that point till halftime, Arkansas missed 16 of its last 17 shots and watched a 10-point advantage turn into a four-point deficit at halftime.
The Razorbacks went ice cold, with a zone defense from Vanderbilt playing a part. The offensive woes then carried over to the early portions of the second half before Arkansas started landing consistent punches.
Commodores dominate inside
Arkansas didn’t have any answers for big-man Ven-Allen Lubin, who posted a double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds. He really hurt the Hogs on the offensive glass, and a second-chance bucket inside the final minute proved to be a decisive moment.
In total, Vanderbilt outscored Arkansas 44-26 inside the paint. Ezra Manjon and Tyrin Lawrence got downhill, with Manjon scoring 22 points and Lawrence pitching in 21. The Hogs defense both on the interior and against dribble-penetration was an issue all night.
As Vanderbilt grew in confidence, the Commodores started getting to the free-throw line with consistency, where they made 23-of-32 attempts.
Khalif Battle continues end-of-season renaissance
Fresh off scoring 42 points Saturday against Missouri, Battle poured in 36 against Vanderbilt. He didn't have the same efficiency with his jumper early, but Battle got going in the second half and did a great job getting to the rim and turning aggressive drives into free throws.
Battle shot 14-for-17 from the charity stripe. He carried the offense for most of the game, with El Ellis playing the role of lead supporter with 19 points and three assists. Tramon Mark had 15.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Arkansas basketball stunned by Vanderbilt in home loss
