Freshmen lead Hogs to win at Ole Miss

Arkansas forward Mike Anderson celebrates talks to players during the team's NCAA college basketball game against Mississippi in Oxford, Miss., Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2018. (Petre Thomas/The Oxford Eagle via AP)
Arkansas forward Mike Anderson celebrates talks to players during the team's NCAA college basketball game against Mississippi in Oxford, Miss., Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2018. (Petre Thomas/The Oxford Eagle via AP)

— Daniel Gafford scored 19 points to lead four Arkansas players in double figures Tuesday night as the Razorbacks defeated Mississippi 75-64.

Darious Hall scored 14 points with 11 rebounds for the Razorbacks (18-8, 7-6 Southeastern Conference) while Anton Beard and Jaylen Barford added 13 points apiece. Hall hit a pair of 3-pointers to spark a decisive 11-0 run after the Rebels pulled within 53-52 with eight minutes left.

Deandre Burnett led Ole Miss (11-15, 4-9) with 24 points. Markel Crawford scored 17 points for the Rebels, who trailed 34-23 at halftime. Ole Miss has lost six straight games and eight of the last nine.

Arkansas finished 26 of 62 (42 percent) from the field, although Gafford and Hall combined to hit 11 of 15 shots. The Razorbacks were 7 of 23 (30 percent) from 3-point range made 16 of 27 (59 percent) free throws.

Ole Miss set season lows for field goals made (18) and field-goal percentage (29.0). The Rebels were 20 of 31 (64 percent) from the free throw line, including 9 of 12 by Burnett.

BIG PICTURE

Arkansas: The Razorbacks have won four in a row against Ole Miss. Arkansas moved above .500 in the SEC, has won three straight and six of the last eight games. A crucial two-game home stand with No. 21 Texas A&M and Kentucky begins Saturday. The Razorbacks are 13-1 at home this season.

Ole Miss: Head coach Andy Kennedy announced his resignation Monday, effective at the end of the season, hoping the Rebels would feel less pressure offensively. That did not happen early. The Rebels shot 5 of 29 (17 percent) from the field in the first half, after opening with three consecutive field goals.

UP NEXT

Arkansas: The Razorbacks host No. 21 Texas A&M on Saturday.

Ole Miss: The Rebels visit Mississippi State on Saturday.

EARLIER

Arkansas 75, Ole Miss 64 - Final

Arkansas earned a crucial road win behind 19 points from Daniel Gafford, Darious Hall's first career double-double and 13 points apiece from Jaylen Barford and Anton Beard.

The Razorbacks used a big 18-1 run to pull away after Ole Miss got within one with around eight minutes to go. Arkansas grabbed 13 offensive rebounds - Hall had 6 - and turned them into 15 points.

Daryl Macon's streak of 20-point games comes to an end at seven, but Arkansas' role players were huge in the win (20 points off the bench). Deandre Burnett scored a game-high 24 points on 6 of 15 shooting, accounting for one-third of the Rebels' makes from the floor.

Ole Miss has now lost six in a row. Arkansas hosts Texas A&M on Saturday. The Aggies fell 62-58 at Missouri tonight.

Arkansas 67, Ole Miss 53 - 3:55 left

The Razorbacks finally put their foot on Ole Miss' throat. After the Rebels cut Arkansas' lead to one, the Hogs responded with a 14-1 run over the last 3:44, which was sparked by Darious Hall and Anton Beard's back-to-back 3s.

Darious Hall has arguably been the team's MVP tonight, scoring 12 points to go with nine rebounds. His 1 of 7 night at the line hasn't come back to haunt Arkansas.

Arkansas 59, Ole Miss 52 - 6:58 left

Darious Hall and Anton Beard have been huge tonight for Arkansas, combining for 20 points on 5 of 6 from deep. Hall has actually hit 5 of his last 6 from 3-point range since the last time these teams met.

Arkansas 48, Ole Miss 42 - 11:32 left

Darious Hall has been a menace on the glass tonight. He's got a team-high seven in just 11 minutes and just finished a layup to go with the foul to extend Arkansas' lead. He'll be at the line when play resumes.

Daniel Gafford is up to seven points since the break while Ole Miss' Deandre Burnett has 22 to lead all scorers.

Arkansas 39, Ole Miss 36 - 15:59 left

Ole Miss came out of the locker room hot to start the second half. The Rebels went on an 11-0 run behind Deandre Burnett to trim Arkansas' lead to two moments ago. Burnett leads all scorers with 18 on 5 of 11 shooting.

Daniel Gafford is 2 of 3 from the floor for five points since the break. He's also a not-bad 4 of 6 from the line and the only Razorback in double figures - his fourth straight game with 10+. Daryl Macon has six assists, which are his most in a game since the last time the teams met.

Arkansas 34, Ole Miss 23 - Half

Arkansas closed the half on a 6-0 run to grab a double-digit halftime lead. The Hogs are shooting just 34 percent, but have completely taken Ole Miss out of its game offensively.

Anton Beard leads Arkansas with eight points while Jaylen Barford has seven and Daniel Gafford five (3/4 at the line) in just four minutes due to early foul trouble.

The crazy thing about this game so far is Ole Miss opened the night 3 of 3 from the floor. They closed 2 of 26 and didn't score in the final 3:06 of the half, but led for nearly 13 minutes.

Arkansas 25, Ole Miss 19 - 3:48 left first half

Ole Miss shooting slump update: The Rebels are 1 of their last 22 from the floor and shooting 16 percent for the game.

Meanwhile, Arkansas is in the midst of a 12-1 run over the last 4:27 of the game and has its largest lead of the night. Anton Beard leads Arkansas with eight points and Dustin Thomas has four on 2 of 4 from the floor. Darious Hall has done a nice job on the glass, too, pulling down four rebounds.

Ole Miss 18, Arkansas 14 - 7:50 left first half

The offensive showing we thought we might get has been put on hold so far. The teams have combined to make 1 of their last 27 shots (Ole Miss 1 of 16, Arkansas 0 of 11).

The lone make from the floor since the first media timeout was Markel Crawford's 3 with 8:47 left in the half. Arkansas is shooting 22 percent and doesn't have a make from the floor since the 15:54 mark.

Ole Miss 13, Arkansas 10 - 11:34 left first half

Both sides are in the midst of long scoring droughts. Ole Miss has missed on its last eight attempts and doesn't have a make from the field in the last 5:44.

Arkansas, while holding Ole Miss to 33 percent shooting, hasn't seen a shot fall in 4:20. Arlando Cook will be at the line when play resumes.

Ole Miss 12, Arkansas 10 - 15:34 left first half

Daniel Gafford picked up a pair of fouls in the opening two minutes and will now sit for a majority of the half. Trey Thompson, who replaced Gafford, has also picked up two fouls. Arkansas has five team fouls through four minutes.

Anton Beard and Jaylen Barford have each knocked down a 3 as Arkansas has started 2 of 4 from deep. Dustin Thomas got a midrange jumper to fall as well.

Marcanvis Hymon has five points for the Rebels on 2 of 3 from the floor. Ole Miss hit 3 of 4 shots before the first media timeout.

Pregame

Arkansas will open tonight's game with a familiar lineup: Anton Beard, Jaylen Barford, Daryl Macon, Dustin Thomas and Daniel Gafford.

Ole Miss will run with Deandre Burnett, Marcanvis Hymon, Terence Davis, Markel Crawford and Bruce Stevens.

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