SAN FRANCISCO - Arkansas' run in the NCAA Tournament came to an end in the Elite 8 on Saturday night at Chase Center in a 78-69 loss to a hot-shooting Duke.
The two teams opened the game by trading baskets and the game remained tight until an 8-0 Duke run midway through the half. Jaylin Williams’ lay-up snapped the run but the Blue Devils maintained a lead the remainder of the half. Duke fully swung the momentum their way to end the first half when Trevor Keels nailed a 3-pointer at the buzzer to finish another 8-0 run for the Blue Devils. Duke made four of their final five shots of the half while holding Arkansas scoreless over the final 2:14 on 0-of-5 shooting.
The Razorbacks' resiliency showed up in the second half. A 9-2 Arkansas run cut the Blue Devils' lead to five with 13:19 remaining but the Blue Devils rattled off the game’s next 10 points to establish a 15-point lead with 10:18 left. Duke held off the Hogs down the stretch to advance to the Final Four.
Duke shot 55% for the game and dominated the game from the inside, outscoring Arkansas 46-34 in the paint.
Williams led three Arkansas players to reach double digits in the game with 19 points along with 10 rebounds for his 16th double-double of the season. JD Notae and Stanley Umude each added 14 points with Notae adding four assists.
Notae and Williams were named to the NCAA West Regional All-Tournament team.
Paulo Banchero led the Blue Devils with 16 points to go along with Mark Williams 12 points and 12 rebounds.
Arkansas ends the season 28-9 overall.
FIRST HALF: Arkansas: 33 – Duke: 45
- Arkansas led 9-6 at the first media timeout thanks to five points from JD Notae. Arkansas forced three early turnovers, while committing none.
- Duke used an 8-0 run to take an eight-point lead (22-14). However, Jaylin William took two charges and scored twice to get the Hogs back to within three, 24-21, at the under 8 timeout (7:56).
- Arkansas was down four, 37-33, after a pair of Chris Lykes free throws before Duke closed the half on an 8-0 run, including a 3-pointer at the buzzer, to lead by 12 (45-33) at the break.
- Duke shot 55% from the field and out-rebounded the Hogs 22-12.
- JD Notae led Arkansas with eight points while Jaylin Williams and Devo Davis each added seven. Williams had five rebounds.
- Mark Williams led Duke with 10 points and eight rebounds.
- Arkansas got to within five at 53-48 before Duke reeled off 10 straight to take a 63-48 lead (10:18).
- Jaylin Williams had 12 second-half points while Stanley Umude added nine.
- Arkansas out-rebounded Duke, 13-12, in the period.
- Arkansas had seven assists with just six turnovers.
- Arkansas’ starting lineup was JD Notae – Au’Diese Toney – Stanley Umude – Trey Wade – Jaylin Williams for the 20th game. The group was 17-3.
- Duke won the opening tip. Arkansas was 8-2 when the opponent wins the opening tip.
- JD Notae scored the game’s first points, a layup at 19:25.
- Davonte Davis and Kamani Johnson were the first subs for Arkansas.
Was 28-9 overall
- Won at least 28 games for sixth time in school history and the most wins since 1994-95 (32-7)
- Won at least 25 games for the second straight year and the 15th time in school history
- 53 wins over the last two seasons is most wins in back-to-back years since the Razorbacks won 63 in the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons.
- 73 wins in the three-year Eric Musselman era is the best start to a Razorback coaching tenure by 11 wins (Eddie Sutton won 62 games in his first three seasons
- The 73 win by Arkansas are the most among SEC teams since Eric Musselman’s arrival in Fayetteville. Auburn is second with 66 wins. Arkansas also has an SEC-best 47 home wins over the last three seasons.
- Won 13 SEC games in back-to-back seasons
- Won at least 13 SEC games for the sixth time with the school record being 14 SEC wins
- Arkansas and Houston were the only two schools to reach the Elite 8 in each of the last two years
- It is the 11th Elite 8 appearance, and the Hogs make their 13th Sweet 16
- It is the first time Arkansas made back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances since earning three straight in 1994 (national champion), 1995 (national runner-up) and 1996 (Sweet 16)
- Arkansas’ six wins in the NCAA Tournament over the past two seasons were more NCAA wins than the program had experienced in the previous 23 seasons (5 dating back to 1998)
- Arkansas defeated AP #1 Auburn 76-73 (ot) on Feb. 8
- Arkansas defeated AP #1 and NCAA tournament overall #1 seed Gonzaga in the Sweet 16
- Arkansas became the first team to ever beat an AP #1 team in the regular season (Auburn) and defeat the AP #1 (Gonzaga) in the NCAA Tournament
- Also, no men’s college basketball team had beaten two different No. 1 teams from the AP poll in the same season since 1992-93 when Georgia Tech beat Duke and North Carolina in the same season. (Both regular-season games.)
- Arkansas became the 16th #4 seed to defeat a #1 seed in the Sweet 16 and the first since Michigan State beat Virginia in 2014 (NCAA)
- The two wins vs #1 this season gives Arkansas a 3-11 record all-time when playing the top-ranked team in the nation
- Arkansas also claimed its first win ever versus a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament
- Arkansas was 5-2 versus top 25 teams with six of those games coming over the last 14 games.
- In addition to beating #1 Auburn and #1 Gonzaga, Arkansas won at #12 LSU and defeated #16 Tennessee and #6 Kentucky at home. Losses were at #11 Tennessee and vs #9 Duke in the Elite 8.
- Prior to the NCAA Tournament, nine of Arkansas’ final 10 opponents are listed as NCAA QUAD 1 opponents. The Hogs posted a 6-3 record vs those QUAD 1 opponents including wins.
- One of those QUAD1 wins was a victory at Florida. The win snapped a 14-game losing streak to the Gators in Gainesville dating back to Feb. 28, 1995.
- Arkansas won 18 of its final 22 games
- The Hogs were 7-1 in February and 5-3 in March
- Over the last two seasons, Arkansas has posted a record of 24-6 in the months of February and March
- Arkansas was 11-of-11 at the free throw line versus Duke. It marks the fourth time Arkansas has shoot 100% at the line in a game while attempting at least 8 FT
- Arkansas led the NCAA in both free throws made (633) and free throws attempted (833)
- Arkansas has ranked among the NCAA top 10 in both categories in each of Coach Musselman’s three years.
- Arkansas has led the SEC in free throws made each of the last three years and Musselman’s teams (Arkansas and Nevada) have led their conferences in in free throws made 6 of his 7 years as a head coach and free throws attempted in 5 of his 7 years.
- Points Scored – All Games: 2,810 (9th)
- Field Goals Made – All Games: 972 (9th)
- Free Throw Made – All Games: 633 (3rd) – SEC Games: 301 (4th)
- Free Throw Att – All Games: 833 (9th) – SEC Games: 401 (4th)
- Free Throw Pct – All Games: .760 (3rd) – SEC Games: .751 (3rd)
- Rebounds – All Games: 1,399 (4th) – SEC Games: 682 (1st)
- Free Throw Att – All Games: 833 (9th) – SEC Games: 401 (4th)
- Arkansas’ 34th All-American
- Averaged 17.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 3.0 steals and 1 blocked shot at the NCAA Tournament
- Has scored 1,999 points in his four-year career
- Has scored 1,070 points in two seasons at Arkansas, tying Daryl Macon for 36th on the school’s all-time list. He became the 45th player to score 1,000 points in a Razorback uniform and is the 6th Razorback to accomplish the feat in two seasons.
- Consensus first team All-SEC as his 19.70 scoring average in league games ranks 5th-best in school history.
- Points Scored – All Games: 660 (8th-t) – SEC Games: 335 (4th-t)
- Field Goals Att – All Games: 589 (1st) – SEC Games: 287 (1st)
- Ranked 3rd in the NCAA in steals (81) and 14th in steals per game (2.25)
- Took an NCAA-best and school-record 54 charges
- First team All-SEC and member of the Lefty Driesell Defensive All-American Team
- Averaged 14.3 points and 11.8 rebound in the NCAA Tournament
- Ranked 15th in the NCAA in double-doubles (16) – including one in each of his 4 NCAA games – and 2nd on the school’s single-season list
- Ranked 6th in the NCAA in defensive rebounds (8.32) and 19th in overall rebounds (9.84)
- Rebound Avg – All Games: 9.84 (5th) – SEC Games: 10.17 (1st)
- Total Rebounds – All Games: 364 (1st) – SEC Games: 183 (1st)
- Total Rebounds – All Games: 364 (1st) – SEC Games: 183 (1st)
- Scored 14 points in the Elite 8 loss to Duke and average 12.3 points in the NCAA Tournament
- Finished his career with 1,960 points
- Scored in double figures 20 times this season and 91 times in his career
- Arkansas forced 15 turnovers and committed just 11. Arkansas was 14-4 this season when forcing at least 15 turnovers and 21-2 when committing less than 15.