Arkansas advances to Round of 32 with win over Illinois

Ricky Council IV scored 18 factors and Arkansas survived some anxious moments within the second half towards an Illinois group that would not go away, holding on to beat the Illini 73-63 within the first spherical of the NCAA Match on Thursday.

Devo Davis had 16 factors for the eighth-seeded Razorbacks, who used relentless protection and rebounding to construct large leads however could not get comfy till the ultimate minute. Arkansas (21-13) faces top-seeded Kansas on Saturday within the second spherical of the West Area.

Terrence Shannon Jr., held scoreless the primary 16 minutes, completed with 20 factors to steer the Illini (20-13). It was the primary time in 5 match appearances since 2011 that Illinois did not make it out of the primary spherical.

On paper, this matchup was some of the even of the primary spherical. The groups’ season stat sheets have been practically equivalent, they usually have been trending equally with Arkansas having misplaced six of its final 9 coming in and Illinois six of its final 10.

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The Razorbacks have been up double digits in the midst of the primary half, however no lead has been protected this season. In seven video games they blew leads with scoring droughts of 5 minutes or longer.

That did not occur this time, although it seemed prefer it may when Arkansas did not land what may have been the knockout punch with 2 1/2 minutes to play. Anthony Black intercepted Coleman Hawkins’ cross-court cross and Council missed the fast-break dunk when he would have been higher served to put it in. The blown play left Arkansas coach Eric Musselman flailing his arms and screaming.

Council atoned with a layup to finish a 4-minute, 13-second scoring drought, and his two free throws with 1:18 left put the Razorbacks up 68-57.

Arkansas, which has reached the Elite Eight the previous two years, led by as many as 14 factors within the first half and went to the locker room forward 36-26 following a scrambling play beneath the basket the place Kamani Johnson battled three Illinois gamers for a unfastened ball.

The play outlined the hardscrabble contest. Jackson received the ball and muscled it into the basket. Nick Smith Jr. was there to have fun as Johnson turned to go upcourt, playfully pushing his teammate within the chest. Johnson slipped and fell and exchanged smiles with Smith when he received up. A timeout adopted, and the Arkansas devoted started a raucous “calling of the hogs,” placing some further oomph into their “Wooooo. Pig. Souie!”

Arkansas’s Makhi Mitchell will get by Illinois’s Coleman Hawkins through the second half of a first-round faculty basketball sport within the NCAA Match Thursday, March 16, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photograph/Morry Gash)

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Arkansas’ protection was on level from the outset, holding the Illini to twenty-eight% taking pictures within the first half and 38.5% for the sport. The Hogs scored 19 factors off Illinois’ 17 turnovers.

On one among Illinois’ many empty possessions, Hawkins had the shot clock run out on him earlier than he may get the ball to the rim. He turned to an official and tried to indicate him claw marks on the within of his left arm, presumably put there by Jordan Walsh. The ref wasn’t .

BIG PICTURE

Illinois: The Illini dropped to 1-8 all-time towards Southeastern Convention groups within the NCAA Match. Matthew Mayer, who received a nationwide championship with Baylor in 2021 and was the Illini’s second-leading scorer this season, missed all six of his photographs and was held to 2 factors.

Arkansas: The Razorbacks are actually 6-1 towards the Huge Ten within the match since 1983 and arrange for an additional deep run if they will knock off the Jayhawks.

Arkansas’s Anthony Black drives by Illinois’s RJ Melendez through the second half of a first-round faculty basketball sport within the NCAA Match Thursday, March 16, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa.  (AP Photograph/Morry Gash)

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STICKY RIMS?

Every group had a shot get lodged between the rim and backboard within the first 5 minutes.

Kamani Johnson’s layup attempt for Arkansas went up however did not come down, and a pair minutes later, Terrence Shannon’s 3-point try from the nook for Illinois received caught as nicely.

UP NEXT

Arkansas’ final assembly with Kansas within the NCAA Match was within the 1991 Elite Eight, a 93-81 Jayhawks win.