FAYETTEVILLE — The Arkansas men’s basketball team earned a signature victory Saturday even though it won’t count toward its season record.
Guard El Ellis, a graduate transfer from Louisville, scored five points in overtime to give the 14th-ranked Razorbacks the lead for good in an 81-77 victory over third-ranked Purdue at in front of an announced crowd of 19,200 people Bud Walton Arena.
"It had a Big Ten road game feel. That’s what it had," Purdue coach Matt Painter said.
The benefit exhibition game was designed to raise proceeds to aid clean-up efforts for a March 31 tornado in Little Rock. But it also provided a chance for both teams with championship aspirations to gauge themselves against quality competition.
They delivered an entertaining ending.
Ellis’ and-1 layup and free throw with 3:11 remaining put the Razorbacks ahead 72-21. Arkansas took a 74-71 lead when Ellis hit a jumper on the ensuing possession and grew the lead to 76-71 on Tramon Mark's basket with 1:06 to play.
Purdue guard Lance Jones buried a three-pointer with 46 seconds remaining and made 1 of 2 free throws with 22.5 seconds remaining to cut the Razorbacks’ lead to 77-75.
Mark made both free throws at the other end to give Arkansas a two-possession lead, then tipped a Braden Smith pass that was intercepted by Lawson to help the Razorbacks put the game away.
"For this early in the season, really, really happy with how they kind of [found] some roles and guys off the bench contributed," Arkansas coach Eric Musselman said. "Defensive pressure was really good with forcing 20 turnovers and 14 steals against a team that plays in a conference where valuing the ball is really important. The seven blocks, really, really impressive against a Power 5, really tall team that’s got incredible length."
JONES: Don't tell them it didn't count
Mark’s three-pointer with 22.7 seconds remaining in the second half tied the game 69-69. Ellis had a chance to give Arkansas the win in regulation but missed a good look near the rim at the buzzer.
Purdue led by as many as seven points in the first half but couldn't hold the lead. Arkansas closed the first half on an 11-4 run to take a 31-26 lead at halftime.
That run grew to 17-6 and the Razorbacks led 37-28 when Trevon Brazile drained back-to-back three-pointers on Arkansas’ first two possessions of the second half.
The Razorbacks had eight possessions that resulted in three points after halftime, including a pivotal stretch midway through the second half that gave Arkansas the lead. Brazile made all three free throws to put the Razorbacks ahead 46-45, then Khalif Battle drained back-to-back threes to put the Razorbacks ahead 54-48 with 9:38 to play.
The Razorbacks led for much of the half, including 63-56 on Mark’s layup with 5:18 remaining.
But Purdue responded with a 13-5 run and led 69-66 on Smith’s two free throws with 37.1 seconds to play.
Mark hit the three-pointer on the next possession to force overtime.
Brazile and Mark each scored 15 points to lead the Razorbacks. Ellis and Battle had 12 points apiece, and Chandler Lawson scored 10 points while providing good defense against 7-4 Purdue center Zach Edey.
"I thought he was phenomenal," Musselman said of Lawson, a transfer from Memphis. "Defensively, the blocked shots. He hit a big shot early in the game when we were kind of [wondering] what’s going to happen with us offensively."
Edey, the reigning national player of the year, scored 15 points and had 9 rebounds before fouling out with 20.1 seconds remaining in overtime. Edey picked up his fourth personal foul with 9:31 left in regulation.
"We had a long prep, obviously, but I was impressed with how our guys they made him work for every possession," Musselman said. "And there were no clean entry passes, which was what we wanted."
Fletcher Loyer also scored 15 points for the Boilermakers.
Arkansas shot 30 of 59 overall and 8 of 23 from three-point range, and limited Purdue to 26 of 67 overall.
But the Boilermakers matched the Razorbacks in three-pointers made (8 of 27) and hit as many free throws (17 of 25) as Arkansas attempted (13 of 17).
Purdue also held a 42-28 rebounding advantage and outscored Arkansas 17-0 in second-chance points.
Arkansas is scheduled to open the regular season with a Nov. 6 home game against Alcorn State.