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Senior success: Things go right in UA win | Arkansas Democrat Gazette

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Senior success: Things go right in UA win | Arkansas Democrat Gazette


FAYETTEVILLE — A lot of things have gone wrong for the University of Arkansas men’s basketball team this season.

One thing that went right was Senior Night.

In the final home game of the season, the Razorbacks beat LSU 94-83 on Wednesday night at Walton Arena.

Immediately after the game, Arkansas’ seniors were honored in a brief ceremony.

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“It’s probably hard to go out there and take pictures smiling if you’re a competitor,” Razorbacks Coach Eric Musselman said. “So you want to win. I’m happy that the team played well in Bud Walton.”

Arkansas (15-15, 6-11 SEC) earned a season split with LSU (16-14, 8-9) after the Tigers won the teams’ first game 95-74 in Baton Rouge on Feb. 3.

“Credit to Arkansas, they played very well on their Senior Night,” Tigers Coach Matt McMahon said on LSU’s postgame radio show. “They were the better team.”

Musselman used an eight-man rotation that featured six seniors — guards Khalif Battle, El Ellis, Davonte Davis and Jeremiah Davenport along with big men Makhi Mitchell, Chandler Lawson and Jeremiah Davenport — along with junior guard Tramon Mark and sophomore forward Trevon Brazile.

The seniors combined for 79 points, 31 rebounds, 12 assists, 8 steals and 7 blocked shots.

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“Them beating us, we knew coming in for the seniors and for the last game, it was a get-back game,” said Davenport, who had 5 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists. “We came out here with a great attitude.”

Battle, who led the Razorbacks with 29 points, is a fifth-year graduate transfer, but he still has another season of eligibility remaining.

“I’m a Razorback. I’m right here,” Battle said when asked about his plans for next season. “I’m a Razorback. Ain’t nothing changed. I’m a Razorback until the end.”

Musselman was asked about Battle’s indication he plans to be back at Arkansas next season.

“I think with all players, you play the season out and you see how it unwinds, so it would be unfair for me to speculate either way,” Musselman said. “I do think he’s really happy playing at Arkansas. We’re happy with the way that he’s progressed.

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“The way that he’s evolved as the season’s gone on. He’s done a great job of buying in, and I think that’s why you see the productivity continue to improve.

“I know that he enjoys playing here and playing in [the Razorbacks’] system, but it’s whenever he makes a decision or whatever’s on him.”

Battle has scored 141 points the past four games, the most by an SEC player in 20 seasons, according to the SEC Network. He surpassed Kentucky’s Jodie Meeks, who had 134 points in a four-game stretch in 2009, the SEC Network posted on social media.

Battle had the ball in his hands in the final seconds, but dribbled out the clock rather than trying to score more than 30 points for the fourth consecutive game after having 42 against Missouri, 36 against Vanderbilt and 34 at Kentucky.

“I ain’t going to show up [LSU] when we already had ’em,” Battle said. “We already had won, and 30 points don’t mean nothing, you know what I’m saying?

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“The win is more important. Years from now, nobody’s going to remember, ‘Oh, K.B. had 29 against LSU on Senior Night.’ Nobody’s going to remember that. They’re going to remember we won.”

Battle hit 7 of 14 shots, including 2 of 6 three-pointers, and made 13 of 14 free throws.

“There’s not many players in the history of the SEC that have gone on a scoring spurt like K.B. has,” Musselman said. “And he’s defending better, he’s defensive rebounding better.”

Battle had 4 rebounds, 2 assists and a career-high 3 blocked shots.

“That’s cool, for sure,” Battle said of the blocked shots. “I think the team was more hyped than I was. I was just worried about us winning the game.

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“I think I’m an all-around basketball player. I know people say things about my defense. … But people that really watch, I think they’ll see that I give value on the defensive end and I take a lot of pride in it.”

Mitchell had 19 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocked shots.

“Makhi was dominant inside,” Musselman said.

Mitchell hit 8 of 10 shots and 3 of 4 free throws. Along with Lawson, Mitchell helped hold LSU 7-0 senior Will Baker to 3 points on 1-of-4 shooting after he burned the Razorbacks with 25 points on 9-of-11 shooting in last month’s game.

“We had a game plan to try to stop Will Baker,” Musselman said. “Obviously he hurt us in the last game.

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“We changed up our coverages, and I thought we did a great job taking him out of the game.”

The Razorbacks finished the season 11-6 in games at Walton Arena, including 4-5 in SEC games.

LSU has lost five consecutive games at Walton Arena. It last won at Arkansas in 2019, 94-88 in overtime.

Ellis had 16 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists, Mark had 9 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists, and Lawson had 7 points and 2 steals.

Senior guard Jordan Wright led LSU with 24 points and sophomore guard Tyrell Ward added 19.

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The Razorbacks shot 60.8% from the field (31 of 51) and hit 27 of 33 free throws.

LSU shot 44.8% (30 of 67) and hit 18 of 26 free throws.

“I thought they were just relentless, really hurt us on some ball screens,” McMahon said. “In a game where we got 16 more shot attempts than they did, they did a much better job finishing at the basket.”

The Razorbacks took the lead for good with 16:35 left in the first half when Ellis hit a jumper to put them up 8-7.

Arkansas was ahead 42-33 at halftime and Lawson’s three-point play pushed their lead to 49-37 with 18:37 left.

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LSU pulled within 60-56 on a free throw by Trae Hannibal with 11:34 left, but the Razorbacks responded with a 7-0 run — including two free throws and a layup by Mitchell and a three-pointer by Battle — to move ahead 67-56.

LSU didn’t pull closer than five points the rest of the game, and the Razorbacks pushed their lead to 80-66.

“Every time we got [close] in the second half, they had a great response,” McMahon said.

Arkansas finished with 10 blocked shots, while LSU didn’t have any.

“In an SEC game, that’s hard to do, and we can get better at that, too,” Musselman said. “I thought they had a couple layups where we didn’t go vertical, so that’s something we want to keep getting better at.”

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Musselman said he liked Wednesday night’s playing rotation.

“Sometimes during the course of the season, you’re constantly tinkering,” Musselman said. “If you pick up the box score from the last time we played LSU, it’s a much different look than we were then.

“I’ve settled in where guys are understanding roles, expectations.”

    Arkansas guard Khalif Battle goes up for a layup during the second half Wednesday against LSU at Walton Arena in Fayetteville. Battle scored 29 points as the Razorbacks defeated the Tigers 94-83 to improve to 15-15 overall and 6-11 in the SEC. More photos at arkansasonline.com/37hogsatlsu/ (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Hank Layton)
 
 



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Arkansas

Autopsies rule Arkansas mothers death a suicide; twin children’s deaths homicides

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Autopsies rule Arkansas mothers death a suicide; twin children’s deaths homicides


According to our partners at 40/29 News, autopsies show that Charity Beallis died by suicide, and her six-year-old twin children died by homicide.

Beallis and the children were found on December 3, 2025, in their home in Bonanza. All three had gunshot wounds.

Records show that Beallis and her husband were in the process of divorcing when the murders happened. 40/29 reports that Beallis’ son has asked that their divorce be considered final, while her husband, Randall Beallis, has asked the court to dismiss the divorce proceedings.

The news release listed the following evidence:

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— An examination of the transcripts of the deposition of Mrs. Beallis in the divorce/custody case and the final hearing on the case on 12-2-2025, reveal that she wished to be reconciled to her estranged husband, which did not happen. Mrs. Beallis, after being represented by four different attorneys, represented herself in the contested divorce/custody hearing. At the conclusion of the hearing, Mrs. Beallis was ordered to begin joint custody of her children with her estranged husband.

–Mrs. Beallis’ estranged husband was a driver of a Tesla electric vehicle at that time. Tesla has compiled location data on Tesla vehicles, and according to the information provided by Tesla, Mrs. Beallis’ estranged husband’s vehicle was not near the residence in Bonanza on the night in question. Also, the estranged husband’s phones did not “ping” any of the cell towers proximately related to Ms. Beallis’ location.

–Information from the home security alarm company shows the alarm was deactivated by Mrs. Beallis by her phone (she had exclusive access to the security system) at around 10 pm on the night in question. Even though deactivated, the alarm company was able to provide information showing no doors or windows to the home were opened during that time. When law enforcement arrived after 9:30 am on 12-3-2025, there were no doors or windows open, and they had to use a key to enter the home. SCSO rigorously tested the functioning of each door and window and found them to be operating properly.

The court released an order on Wednesday stating that it does not have jurisdiction to rule on those motions regarding the divorce. Beallis’ body has been released to her son, while the children are with Randall Beallis.



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Frightening times for Hannahs in Israel | Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

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Frightening times for Hannahs in Israel | Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette


Wally Hall

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Wally Hall is assistant managing sports editor for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. A graduate of the University of Arkansas-Little Rock after an honorable discharge from the U.S. Air Force, he is a member and past president of the Football Writers Association of America, member of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, past president and current executive committee and board member of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, and voter for the Heisman Trophy. He has been awarded Arkansas Sportswriter of the Year 10 times and has been inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame and Arkansas Sportswriters and Sportscasters Hall of Fame.

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Welcome to THV11’s YouTube page! Here you’ll find stories from Arkansas that inspire and offer insight to everything happening in the Natural State. We’ll bring you engaging stories as well as full interviews and hilarious moments from our television broadcasts!



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