FAYETTEVILLE — Moses Moody scored 28 points, Jalen Tate added 22 and No. 12 Arkansas beat Texas A&M 87-80 on Saturday to match the program's longest Southeastern Conference winning streak at 11 games.
The Razorbacks also won 11 straight SEC games in 1993-94 en route to a national championship.
Arkansas (21-5, 13-4) trailed by two until Moody sank a 3-pointer with 56 seconds left, prompting Texas A&M to take a timeout. Davone Davis stole the ensuing inbound pass, threw it up the court to Justin Smith, and Smith threw down an emphatic, two-handed dunk.
Quenton Jackson's 3-pointer from the corner on the next possession rimmed out ,and Arkansas finished the game from the free-throw line.
Moody, a freshman, tied his career high for points, while Tate finished three points shy of his best. Neither team led by more than three points from the 13-minute mark until J.D. Notae's free throws after Jackson's miss.
Moody and Tate torched Texas A&M for 29 of Arkansas' 38 points at halftime on a combined 10-of-18 shooting. Texas A&M had an 18-2 run in the first, though, and led by three at the break.
Seconds before the under-12 timeout of the second half, Moody found Tate at the elbow, and the senior made a jumper to give Arkansas its first lead, 58-57.
Texas A&M (8-9, 2-8) relied on a trio, rather than Arkansas' duo. Jackson (23 points), Emmanuel Miller (23) and Savion Flagg (16) combined for 60 points.
Davis and Justin Smith joined Moody and Tate in double figures for Arkansas with 12 and 11, respectively.
BIG PICTURE
Arkansas is playing for NCAA Tournament seeding and a potential SEC Tournament crown, a trophy the Razorbacks have captured only once, in 2000. They're likely a top-six for the NCAAs but could play their way into a top two or three with a deep SEC run.
The game was only Texas A&M's second since Jan. 30 as postponements prompted by COVID-19 protocols sapped half the Aggies' season. Still, the .200 winning percentage in league play was the team's worst showing since joining the SEC in 2012-13.
UP NEXT
Arkansas was locked into its No. 2-seed for the SEC Tournament before Saturday's result. The Razorbacks' first game of the postseason will be Friday against the winner of the No. 10-seed and No. 7-seed game.
Texas A&M will play in the league tournament in Nashville this week, though its seed and opponent are yet unknown. The Aggies will play in the tournament opener Wednesday as either the No.12 or No. 13 seed.
FINAL — Moses Moody led all scorers with 28 points in what was likely his final game in Bud Walton Arena, and the Razorbacks pushed past a pesky Texas A&M team to win 87-80.
It is Arkansas’ 11th consecutive SEC win entering the conference tournament next week. The Razorbacks are now 21-5 overall and finish up league play 13-4.
Jalen Tate scored 22 points, grabbed seven rebounds and had four assists in the win as well, and Devo Davis added 12 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals. Justin Smith pitched in 11 points.
Quenton Jackson and Emanuel Miller each had 23 for the Aggies, and Savion Flagg had 16 points.
Texas A&M made Arkansas really work, but the Razorbacks made the timely shots and got key defensive stops, finishing with eight steals.
:13.3, 2H — Emanuel Miller makes two free throws to cut the Arkansas lead to three. JD Notae is fouled hard in the backcourt. He hits every part of the rim on the first attempt and it drops. He hit the second as well. Hogs up five again. Devo Davis then caps the game with a breakaway dunk.
:25.3, 2H — Texas A&M got exactly what it wanted out of its last timeout. Quenton Jackson had been the man for the Aggies all day, but his right-corner three rims out, and JD Notae rebounds. Notae then hits two free throws. Arkansas up five, 83-78.
:36.3, 2H — Justin Smith adds a two-hand dunk off an Aggies turnover out of the timeout. Devo Davis gets the steal and assist. Great backcourt defense from Jalen Tate and Davis. Arkansas up 81-78.
:52.9, 2H — Moses Moody buries a three from the left wing. It was all net. Arkansas leads 79-78. Moody has 28 for the second straight game.
1:22, 2H — Officials reversed the call on the floor, charging Jalen Tate with a foul. Aggies ball. Tie game. ... Savion Flagg then offensive rebounds an Emanuel Miller miss and is fouled. Aggies up two.
1:23, 2H — Moses Moody just had a block of the year candidate on one end, which led to a Jalen Tate layup in transition to put Arkansas up two. The play is under review. Tate was fouled on the play.
2:10, 2H — Quenton Jackson with a big three-ball to put the Aggies up two, but Justin Smith adds a layup on a feed from Devo Davis. We’re tied at 76.
2:59, 2H — Justin Smith got fouled again getting to the rim, but he missed both free throws this time after having a contact knocked out. Texas A&M adds a layup to cut its deficit to one.
3:30, 2H — Justin Smith was fouled at the rim on a layup attempt off a nice find from Devo Davis. He hit 1 of 2 free throws, but Moses Moody cleaned up the second one and added a layup. Hogs up three. Moody has 25.
3:52, 2H — JD Notae hit both free throws to tie the game at 71. He has five points today to go with three steals.
3:53, 2H — JD Notae will be at the line when play resumes. Arkansas is trailing 71-69 at the final media timeout. Mason Jones and Jalen Harris just led the crowd in a Hog call. Jones is back in Fayetteville as the NBA is off for the All-Star Break.
4:50, 2H — Emanuel Miller takes Justin Smith off the bounce and scores with a floater. Aggies up two. Devo Davis then misses everything on a runner in the lane. Razorbacks have possession prior to the final media timeout after an Aggies turnover.
7:00, 2H — Quenton Jackson buries a three out of the timeout to tie the game at 67, but Devo Davis’ jumper puts Arkansas back up two. He has 10 points today.
7:15, 2H — Jalen Tate has 22 points and Moses Moody 23. Tate has 20-plus for the first time since the Vanderbilt game, and the second time this season. He had 16 points in Arkansas’ previous three games combined. Davonte Davis quietly having a solid day minus four turnovers. He has eight points, six rebounds and four assists. Arkansas is shooting 50% for the game, and the Aggies sit at 51%.
8:20, 2H — Jalen Tate scores at the rim after a great find by Davonte Davis. He has a team-high 4 assists today and Tate has 20 points. Razorbacks up three. Tate then hits a high-arcing jumper at the line to answer an Aggies score. Razorbacks up three again, 67-64.
9:15, 2H — Moses Moody takes a charge on Emanuel Miller, who now has three fouls.
9:34, 2H — Emanuel Miller hits a baseline jumper over Justin Smith, and the Aggies take a 62-60 lead. Miller is up to 15 points. He’s a really talented player for Buzz Williams. JD Notae then answers with a three-ball from the left wing. Arkansas leads 63-62.
10:49, 2H — Texas A&M has regained the lead, 60-58, on a dunk by Luke McGhee. It is his first score of the game. Officials are reviewing whether or not Moses Moody was in the act of shooting when he was fouled by Emanuel Miller in the right corner. He was awarded two free throws. We’re tied at 60.
11:33, 2H — Jalen Tate hits a jumper from the left elbow and Arkansas leads 58-57 at the under-12 media timeout. Texas A&M’s Andre Gordon will be at the line when play resumes. He drove the lane after Tate’s jumper and drew contact on Justin Smith.
Moses Moody has 21 points for Arkansas and Tate has 18. No other Razorback has more than eight points. Quenton Jackson has 17 for the Aggies.
13:15, 2H — Justin Smith with a grown-man score inside, and the Razorbacks pull within one, but Arkansas gives up a wide open layup on the other end. Texas A&M back up 57-54. Smith then adds another layup in transition. Hogs down one.
13:31, 2H — Davonte Davis finally cashes in for Arkansas after 2-3 misses around the rim. Davis has made some timely shots to keep the Razorbacks within striking distance. He has eight points on 3 of 6 shooting. Moses Moody then hits a right-corner three-ball following a Texas A&M turnover.
Arkansas is down 55-52, and the Aggies call for time.
15:57, 2H — Moses Moody with a three-ball from the left corner. Arkansas back down just six. Moody has a game-high 18 points on 6 of 11 from the floor. The Aggies are then hit with an offensive foul. Texas A&M takes a 53-47 lead into the first media timeout of the second half. Emanuel Miller has seven second-half points for the Aggies.
Keep waiting on Justin Smith to get going. He has two points on 1 of 4 shooting. He's been great in the second halves of games lately. Razorbacks will probably need it again today.
17:00, 2H — Short midrange jumper for Davonte Davis cuts the Aggies’ lead to seven. Davis now has six points on 2 of 5 shooting.
17:10, 2H — The Aggies bury a three-ball in the right corner in transition. They push their lead back to six with more fastbreak points. That is 14 for the game. Emanuel Miller then hits a tough jumper in the midrange and is fouled. He hits the free throw. Texas A&M is up nine, 51-42.
18:40, 2H — Texas A&M opened the second half wit ha midrange jumper, and Connor Vanover answered it against the Aggies’ 1-2-2 zone. Jalen Tate then drove the lane and added a floater. Razorbacks down 43-42.
HALF — Texas A&M carries a 41-38 lead into halftime, but it could have been much worse for Arkansas.
The Razorbacks trailed by as many as 14 with 7 minutes to play until the break, but 29 combined points from Moses Moody (15) and Jalen Tate (14) have kept them afloat offensively. Davonte Davis also has 4 points and 5 rebounds.
Arkansas does not have a point from its bench today.
Texas A&M probably just played its best offensive half of basketball this season. The Aggies shot 49%, and Quenton Jackson had 14 on 6 of 9 shooting. Savion Flagg added 10 on 4 of 8 from the floor. As a team, they hit 7 of 15 from deep.
Andre Gordon also pitched in eight points. He has worked Razorbacks guards pretty well in middle pick-and-roll.
Arkansas closed the half on a 17-6 run after missing 10 consecutive shots.
:40.2, 1H — Texas A&M added a layup in the lane, then Davonte Davis added one of his own. The Aggies’ bench thought Davis got away with a double dribble, and maybe he did, but no whistle. Texas A&M calls for time up 41-36.
1:45, 1H — JD Notae missed a left-corner three off the top corner of the backboard, but Jalen Tate rebounded and got fouled on a putback attempt. He hits both free throws, and Vance Jackson checks in with Arkansas down 39-34. Jackson replaced Notae in the lineup.
2:24, 1H — Jalen Tate with a short midrange jumper. Razorbacks down 37-32. Tate up to 12 points on 5 of 8 from the floor.
3:05, 1H — Jalen Tate pulled up for three on the left win in transition and airballs the shot, but Moses Moody was under rim for the rebound, and he adds a layup. Arkansas down 37-30 and Buzz Williams calls for time. Moody has a game-high 13 points, and Tate has 10.
4:15, 1H — Savion Flagg scores on a backdoor cut and pushes the Aggies’ lead back to 11. Jalen Tate then grabs a Flagg miss from three and scores at the rim on the run. Razorbacks back down nine.
6:21, 1H — Jalen Tate is playing very well offensively. He buries a corner three in transition, and Arkansas’ deficit is down to nine. Tate has eight points on 3 of 4 from the floor and 2 of 2 from deep. This marks the first game since Jan. 27 that Tate has hit multiple threes in a game.
6:48, 1H — Andre Gordon with another three. He has eight points on 3 of 3 shooting. The Aggies are on an 18-2 run over the last 6 minutes, and Arkansas has missed 10 straight shots. Texas A&M leads 35-21 at the under-8 media timeout. The Razorbacks don't have a bucket since the 13:20 mark on a Justin Smith layup. Moses Moody will be at the line when play resumes.
9:40, 1H — Jay Jay Chandler pushed the Aggies’ lead to 11 with a deep three from the left wing. Texas A&M is shooting 62% through the first 11 minutes. Not sure that’s sustainable, but Arkansas has to be better defensively and get out to shooters.
10:25, 1H — Arkansas crept back within five but Andrew Gordon knocked down a triple from the top of the key. Gordon plays the middle pick-and-roll well and has given Davonte Davis some fits with that so far. Gordon has five points and the Aggies lead 29-21.
11:28, 1H — Texas A&M has taken a 26-19 lead, forcing an Eric Musselman timeout. The Aggies are getting out and running today. They have 11 fastbreak points early and are shooting 61%. Texas A&M’s run is 13-2 over the last 2:38.
12:17, 1H — Savion Flagg hits a three from the left wing and pushes the Aggies’ lead to 22-19. He then adds a floater off the glass. Arkansas pretty disconnected defensively.
15:00, 1H — Great ball movement against the Aggies’ zone and Devo Davis finds Jalen Tate for a three from the left wing. Arkansas up 17-13. Tate has more points today than he did in the Razorbacks’ last two games. Great start for him, and he has two assists.
15:25, 1H — Arkansas digs a ball out on an Aggies entry feed and Jalen Tate comes away with it and eventually finds Moses Moody for a dunk. Moody up to nine points on 3 of 3 shooting. Razorbacks lead 14-13 at the first media timeout. Texas A&M shot 5 of 9 from the floor and 3 of 4 from deep. That’s about as good as it gets for the Aggies offensively. Quenton Jackson has eight points. Arkansas assisted on 4 of its first 5 buckets.
16:26, 1H — Moses Moody with another three-ball. He has seven points and Arkansas trails 13-12.
17:02, 1H — Connor Vanover buried a three as the trail big in transition. His triple pulls Arkansas within 8-7. But Quenton Jackson hit a three on the other end. Razorbacks not locked in defensively.
18:20, 1H — The Aggies have knocked down back-to-back threes and taken a 8-4 lead. Jalen Tate then responds with a midrange jumper. He had been 1 of his last 7 from the floor coming into today.
19:10, 1H — Moses Moody answered a quick Texas A&M bucket with a three from the right corner, then he split a pair of free throws after attacking the rim in transition. Arkansas up 4-2.
Pregame
Arkansas’ starting lineup: Jalen Tate, Moses Moody, Davonte Davis, Justin Smith and Connor Vanover.
It appears Arkansas will be without Jaylin Williams again today. He did not take the floor for pregame warmups.
The Razorbacks enter today on a 10-game SEC win streak, the program’s longest since the 1993-94 season. Arkansas is 15-1 in Bud Walton Arena this season, its only loss coming to Missouri to open January.
Smith has been playing the best basketball of his college career of late, averaging 17.2 points and 8.4 rebounds over the last five games. He is 24 of 31 from the floor in the second halves of those games.
Moody scored 20-plus points for the fifth time in SEC play on Tuesday at South Carolina, matching a career-high with 28 on 10 of 15 from the floor. He is averaging 23.3 points over his last three outings, making a strong push for SEC freshman of the year — and perhaps player of the year.
Tate is 1 of his last 7 from the floor for four points the last two games, so we’ll see if he can get going offensively in what is expected to be his final home game today.
Aggies’ starters: Andre Gordon, Emanuel Miller, Quenton Jackson, Savion Flagg and Jonathan Aku.
Texas A&M played its first conference game since Jan. 26 on Wednesday and lost to Mississippi State at home despite committing only four turnovers. The Aggies shot 41% inside the arc and 4 of 25 from three-point range.
Offensively, the Aggies really struggle in league games, scoring 88.3 points per 100 possessions, per KenPom data. They also play at the slowest pace of any SEC team at 64 possessions per game. Defensively, Texas A&M ranks 11th in defensive efficiency.
Miller is the guy to keep an eye on today. He scored 24 points on 9 of 17 shooting and grabbed 13 rebounds on Wednesday. He is also one of the best defensive rebounders in the conference at 6-7.