Arkansas downs Demons, 79-61
By: UA Sports Information
Updated: December 29, 2012
FAYETTEVILLE -
Sophomore BJ Young recorded a double-double in the University of
Arkansas basketball team's win over the Northwestern State Demons,
79-61, at Bud Walton Arena on Saturday. The Razorback defense put up a
stellar performance against a Demon offense, that ranks
second in the country in scoring offense, holding it to a season low 61
points.
Young
concluded the evening with his second career double-double
and his first of this season with 26 points and a career-high 13
rebounds. Young was just three assists away from knocking down the first
triple-double of his career as he finished with seven assists.
Sophomore Hunter Mickelson also picked up a career-high
13 rebounds and a season-high four blocks. Mardracus Wade, who had a
standout first half, scored a season-high 17 points and a team-high four
steals.
"The defense was excellent," head coach Mike Anderson said. "It was
the difference in the game. We did a great job rebounding with a lot of
guys going to the boards. The key is rebounds and that was better
tonight."
Along with some strong individual performances the Razorbacks (8-4)
combined for some impressive stats as well as they out-rebounded NSU
(5-4) 57-41. The Razorbacks also nabbed 48 points in the paint.
In the opening minutes of the first half it was Wade who was shooting
lights out from the field going 3-3 for eight points, two assists and
two steals by the time the first timeout was taken to help put Arkansas
up 12-7 early. Later the Demons would hold the Hogs scoreless for four
minutes, but the Razorback defense limited Northwestern
State to just four points during that time as the Demons stayed close
with just a 19-13 deficit. It was Wade again that brought the Razorback
crowd to its feet when he took the ball down the court with 35 seconds
remaining with a fake at the end to throw off
a Demon defender and he dropped in a layup for the last Razorbacks score
of the half.
The Razorbacks were able to contain the Demon offense to just
29 first half points as the Razorbacks entered the locker room up 36-29.
The beginning of the second half the Razorbacks came out with a bang,
extending their seven-point lead to 10 at multiple times, but Arkansas
would let the Demons inch closer trimming the Hog lead to just three,
47-44. The three-point margin was short-lived as junior Kikko Haydar
drained a three-pointer to make the score 50-44.It
was all Arkansas from that point forward as the Razorbacks put on a show
for the fans as they finished the game on a 20-8 run, while grabbing a
20-point lead with 1:31 remaining after Wade knocked down a pair of free
throws to make the score 79-59.
"Our bench, depth and conditioning paid off tonight," Anderson said.
"That is a step for this team. Our emphasis was on finishing the game off and we did that." Arkansas would take the victory in their final game of 2012 by a final
score of 79-61.
