FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) – It was a game that LSU needed to win if they wanted any chance of receiving a bid to the NCAA Tournament. In the second half, it quickly turned into a game the Tigers want to soon forget.
Arkansas, who led 34-32 at intermission, outscored LSU by 18 points in the final 20 minutes as the Razorbacks ran away with an 85-65 win inside Bud Walton Arena.
Moses Kingsley led the way for Arkansas with 21 points and 12 rebounds while Dusty Hannahs added 17 after going 7-of-12 from the field.
“I started the halftime talk right at Moses, and he responded,” Arkansas coach Mike Anderson said. “My voice carries in the locker room, trust me it does. He knew I was right in what I was saying; I thought he wasn’t playing like he was capable. Moses has the trickle down effect on our team, when he has energy it can change the momentum of everyone. The team rallies around him.”
The Arkansas bench also did their part as they outscored the LSU reserves 32-0.
“I just went out and played. My teammates put me in a great position to score. I didn’t know I had a career high until someone told me,” Arkansas sophomore Trey Thompson said. “Coach said we still haven’t played our best basketball yet. We just have to take it day-by-day and one game at a time, but this one does feel pretty good.”
Anderson picked up his 100th career win as coach of the Razorbacks and his 300th career win as a college head coach.
The Razorbacks quickly expanded their halftime lead as it ballooned to 51-40 just 5:12 into the second half after a Hannahs’ 3-pointer.
LSU got 23 points and 12 rebounds from Ben Simmons but the projected lottery pick also turned the ball over and fouled out. Antonio Blakeney finished with 22 points for the Tigers.
