Hoosiers can’t hold second-half lead, fall 71-64 to Razorbacks

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Isaiah Joe scored 24 points and Mason Jones had 21, including a pair of 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions late, and Arkansas erased an 11-point, second-half deficit for a 71-64 win at Indiana on Sunday.

Despite fielding an undersized starting lineup with four guards and its tallest player standing 6-6, Arkansas hung around because of 3-point shooting and got hot when the shots counted most with a 17-1 run down the stretch.

Arkansas (11-1) finished 12 of 31 on 3-pointers.

Jones hit his third and fourth 3-pointers to push the Razorbacks ahead 67-62 with 2:01 remaining near the end of the 17-1 run. Joe hit six 3-pointers and his only two-point basket, a 15-foot step-back jumper, tied the game at 61.

Indiana (11-2), which lost for the first time in nine home games, had led 50-39 with 16:04 remaining. Freshman center Trayce Jackson-Davis dominated inside for 20 points, including four dunks.

Indiana’s leading scorer had 16 by halftime, one more than his team-leading seasonal average, as the Hoosiers enjoyed a 38-33 lead.

Indiana’s Devonte Green finished with 14 points, including four 3-pointers.

The matchup was a rematch of a March NIT second-round game at the same venue, which Indiana won 63-60. Arkansas edged Indiana 73-72 at home in November of 2018.

BIG PICTURE

Arkansas: While the overall record is impressive, the Razorbacks have yet to face a ranked opponent, so this road win over a quality foe mattered more. Arkansas has no choice but to rely on that 3-point shooting (12-for-31). That’s why the Razorbacks trailed by so much but were able to rally for the win.

Indiana: The young Hoosiers are going to experience growing pains like this when they don’t defend the perimeter effectively. Previous breakdowns seemed isolated, but there was no mistaking how this game turned around so quickly.

UP NEXT

Arkansas: Hosts Texas A&M on Saturday.

Indiana: At Maryland on Saturday.