Jones scores 37 in Arkansas’ 86-69 win over Tennessee
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Mason Jones scored a game-high 37 points and Arkansas started the game on a 14-1 run and never trailed in an 86-69 win over Tennessee Wednesday night.
Jones, the SEC’s leading scorer, scored nine of the 14 to start the game. He was joined in double figures by teammates Isaiah Joe and Desi Sills, who had 22 and 13 respectively.
Tennessee’s 10 first-half turnovers were its demise. The Razorbacks (18-10, 6-9 in SEC) scored 18 points in the opening 20 minutes off those Volunteers giveaways. In response, Tennessee (15-13, 7-8) countered with just three points off three Arkansas turnovers in the same span.
The Volunteers cut Arkansas’ 13-point halftime lead to two in the early part of the second, but Arkansas made six of its next seven from the field and built its lead back to double-digits. Jones and Joe combined to score 39 of the Razorbacks’ 46 points in the final 20 minutes.
Jordan Bowden led Tennessee with 19 points.
BIG PICTURE
Tennessee has now lost back-to-back games for the first time in almost a month and sits in the middle of the SEC standings.
Arkansas continued its NCAA Tournament revival with its second consecutive win after five straight losses while Joe, a projected NBA Draft pick, was out with a knee injury. The Razorbacks have won both since his return.
UP NEXT
The Volunteers host Florida on Saturday afternoon in Knoxville.
Arkansas will travel to Georgia to play the Bulldogs on Saturday night.
