The luck is out: Arkansas falls to Connecticut in Sweet 16 domination
Sometimes the basketball gods are on your side.
Thursday was not one of those times for Arkansas.
The Razorbacks’ surprise NCAA Tournament ended in Las Vegas in difficult fashion. Fourth-seeded Connecticut beat the eighth-seeded Razorbacks, 88-65, in a game that was only close for about 10 minutes.
Arkansas had no answer for Connecticut’s size on the inside. UConn outscored the Hogs in the paint, 42-24, outrebounded them, 43-31 and shot 57% to Arkansas’ 32%.
A 14-0 UConn run midway through the first half was the early signal. Jordan Walsh had a jumper just off the lane with 12:04 left to pull Arkansas within three points, 20-17. Five different Huskies combined for the next 14 points.
That was the story. Connecticut didn’t have just one or two players dominate. The whole roster chipped in. All eight players who played significant minutes scored led by Jordan Hawkins’ 24. At one point, UConn led by as many as 29 points in the second half.
Arkansas had three players in double figures – Anthony Black, Ricky Council and Nick Smith Jr. – but the other six players to scored combined for just 17, about half of which came in the final minutes when the outcome was not in doubt.
Connecticut will be either No. 3 Gonzaga or No. 2 UCLA for a Final Four bid on Saturday.
