Arkansas falls short of upsetting Michigan
By: UA Sports Information
Updated: December 8, 2012
ANN ARBOR,
Mich. - The University of Arkansas basketball team came
within one point of No. 3 Michigan in the second half, but was unable to take
the lead from the Wolverines as they fell on the road, 80-67, in a sold out
Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Mich. The Razorbacks were led on the court by
junior Marshwan Powell, who tallied 18 points on the day while junior Kikko
Haydar came off the bench to score a career-high 13 points including a
perfect4-of-4 from the three-point arc.
"Congratulations to Michigan on a hard
fought win," Arkansas head coach Mike Anderson said. "I was really proud of the
effort that our guys gave, but their key players stepped up when they had to.
You certainly can't knock our guys effort and I saw our guys grow up through
this stretch of games that we played."
A total of four Razorbacks finished in
double-digits, including Haydar and Powell. Sophomore Hunter Mickelson grabbed
10 points and a team-high five rebounds. Junior Rickey Scott rounded out the
Razorbacks finishing in double-digit scoring with 10
points.
In the opening minutes of the first-half the
Razorbacks kept it close with their closest margin being a one-point deficit as
Powell sank a jumper to bring the Hogs to a score of 12-11 with 15:05 on the
clock. However, Michigan would hold the Razorbacks scoreless for the next 5:36
and score 10 points of their own to make the score 22-11. It would take a basket
by Young with 9:29 remaining in the first to stop the Razorbacks' offensive
slump and cut the Michigan lead to single-digits,
22-13.
Arkansas' inability to shoot from the paint
in the first forced them to the three-point line. It was Haydar who stepped up
for Arkansas in the first. Haydar would go 3-of-3 from the three-point line for
nine crucial Razorback points. Haydar would score the final points for Arkansas
in the first with 30 seconds on the clock as he sank his third-consecutive trey.
With the three-pointer Haydar set a career-high in points (9) and three-point
field goals made (3). The Razorbacks entered the locker room at half down by 10,
42-32.
"Kikko and Rickey gave us quality minutes
off the bench," Anderson said.
Leading Arkansas in the first was Powell
with 11 points and two boards. In the first only four Razorbacks had points on
the board: Powell (11), Young (9), Haydar (9) and Scott (3). Arkansas'
rebounding troubles cost them as the Wolverines out-rebounded the Razorbacks
21-12 in the first.
Arkansas got off to a swift start in the
second half going on a 13-4 run to close the gap to two 47-45. A one-handed dunk
by Hunter Mickelson put the Hogs within two. With 9:24 on the clock Scott
drained a three-pointer to bring the Hogs within one-point of the Wolverine
lead, 54-53. The Wolverines would pick up the pace soon after that, going on a
26-14 run to close out the game with a final score of
80-67.
"I thought that our pressure really
disrupted them in the second half," Anderson said. "I thought that they got
fatigued."
The Razorbacks will return to Bud Walton Arena next Saturday to take on Alcorn State on Dec. 15, at 7 p.m. The game will be televised on RSN.
The Razorbacks will return to Bud Walton Arena next Saturday to take on Alcorn State on Dec. 15, at 7 p.m. The game will be televised on RSN.
